Match Point
by HungryForApples
Summary: Hachiman Hikigaya was trained from birth to be a killer. He has taken down multiple high profile targets over the course of his young life. Now at the age of 14, he has been tasked to go to Sobu High and extract as much information from Shizuka Hiratsuka as possible, then eliminate her. The mission is simple and like all his previous missions he will complete it, no matter what.
1. Judgement

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Hachiman Hikigaya was trained from birth to be a killer. He has taken down multiple high profile targets over the course of his young life. Now at the age of 14, he has been tasked to go to Sobu High and extract as much information from Shizuka Hiratsuka as possible, then eliminate her. The mission is simple and like all his previous missions he will complete it, no matter what.

* * *

 **China – Highrise Office Building**

Hachiman stands on the edge of a massive skyscraper. Currently he is dressed in all black combat gear and has a gas mask covering his face. On his back he carries an assault rifle along with a handgun holstered on each thigh. He feels the wind blow against the visor of his mask as he looks at the beautiful night sky and the various colours of the lit up buildings around him.

The assassin backs off the ledge and steps onto the roof. He then goes over to a large pipe and begins pulling on it. After determining it's sturdy enough, he takes a small metal device and hooks it on said pipe. A rope can be seen coming out of this device and leading directly onto Hachiman's back. After checking a few buckles and tightening a few knots, he takes deep breath. He then looks over at the end of the building and begins jogging in place. This goes on for about five seconds before he sprints towards the ledge. Upon reaching it he dives directly off. The rope attached to his back swings violently as he glides down the side of building.

The wind hits his mask with such force that it cancels out all other noise. As he falls he mentally counts the distance from where he jumped to where he's going. A moment later he grabs onto his belt and hits a switch. The rope begins to tighten and gradually slow down. In a matter of seconds, he goes from the speed of free-falling to hardly moving at all.

Now hanging off the side of the building he begins to sway from side-to-side. Inside the skyscraper the lights are on, and due to the fact it's night, no one inside the building can see what's going on outside unless they were to press their face right up against the glass. He begins rappelling down a few more floors. Through the windows he sees several heavily armed security guards doing patrols.

Once he gets down to his desired floor, Hachiman reaches to his belt and pulls off a disk-shaped object. He places it on the window and presses his finger against the middle of the device, which causes it to stick against the glass and start beeping.

 _ **BEEP**_

He inhales, hearing his breath loudly filtered through the gas mask.

 ** _BEEP_**

He exhales and presses his body up against the window.

 _ **BEEP**_

After that he pushes himself away from the building as far back as he can. His body moves about three metres away, pulling on the rope. Just then the disk beeps one last time before letting out a sonic wave, shattering the glass. The rope on Hachiman's back pulls him towards the building and he jumps into the office through the now open window.

As he get's inside he pulls out a knife and cuts the rope off his back, allowing him to move freely inside the room. While adjusting to the change in pressure he pulls out one of his handguns and backs up against a wall. Not a moment later two guards run into the room with their guns raised.

 _ **PSEW**_

 _ **PSEW**_

He fires two silenced shots into them, one each of their legs. The men fall to the ground clutching their wounds. He wastes no time and quickly runs out of the office only to find several more guards outside. As they fire their guns at him, he rolls to the side taking cover by a desk. The floor they are on is large and has the tables separated by glass panes.

The men seem to have no issue with property damage and fire indiscriminately, doing their best to hit the intruder. As bullets fly over Hachiman's head he pulls a small cannister off of his belt and removes the pin. He then tosses it over the desk as a cloud of smoke shoots out.

It takes less than a minute for the entire area to get covered by the dark-gray cloud, completely disorientating the guards. The smoke causes intense coughing among them and some even pass out. Hachiman pushes up the visor on gas mask and places a pair of large goggles around his head. He turns a dial on them and his vision turns blue and red.

These goggles allow him to see infrared and the ability to see infrared allows him to track heat signatures through the smoke. He stands up from his cover and begins walking around the cloud.

 _ **PSEW**_

 _ **PSEW**_

As he makes his way through the building he continues to shoot the guards in their legs, making sure they won't be problems later. Before infiltrating the skyscraper, Hachiman memorised the floor plans, so he knows he exactly where to head next. As he arrives at his destination, he turns off the infrared goggles and checks a small sign placed above a door. The sign is written in Chinese characters and gives the assassin all the info he needs.

 _ **BANG**_

He kicks the door to the CEO's office open and walks in, finding a man huddled in the corner cowering in fear. In front of him is a woman – probably an assistant – who has a similarly fearful expression.

"Get out of here." Hachiman says in perfect Mandarin, prompting the lady to stand up and run out of the room.

"Who are you!?" The man asks as he trembles.

The assassin ignores him and walks over to one of the cabinets. He then begins looking through the files before pulling one out and placing it on the desk. He looks over at an ashtray on the table before turning and facing the man.

"Do you have a lighter?"

"What?"

"Like for cigarettes. Toss me one."

The man nods and reaches into his blazer pocket, then throws the zippo to Hachiman. He catches it and flicks the top of the device causing a small flame to pop out. He then goes onto to burn the file.

"What are you doing?!" The scared business man asks as he tries to see what's going on.

"Is your name Ling Wei?"

"Y-Yes..."

Hachiman nonchalantly raises his gun and executes the business man. His blood splatters against the wall as his body awkwardly curls over. After that, the assassin exits the office and begins walking through the building again. He pulls out an old phone and calls the only number on the contact list.

"Mission complete. I'm heading to extraction."

By now the smoke has cleared and all the guards can be seen rolling around the floor. Hachiman quickly heads over to the elevator and presses the button on the side. While he waits for it to come up, he pulls the last cannister off his belt and backs up against the wall. The elevator makes a ding as the doors open revealing several men standing inside with their guns raised. Hachiman pulls off the pin and tosses the cannister into the elevator.

It bounces around for a few seconds before making a loud bang and a bright flash. The bang leaves the men inside temporarily deaf with a constant ringing in their ears and blinded by the white flash. Hachiman steps inside, carefully standing in between their groaning bodies. He presses the button for the top floor, as he heads towards the buildings roof, where a helicopter will be landing to extract him.

* * *

 **6 Months Later - Hotel Okura - Tokyo**

Two men sit facing each other. The table between them has a tray and two cups filled with tea on top. Next to the tray is a large brown envelope. One of the men is dressed in all white with no eyebrows or any hair on his body. The other is older with grey hair and is wearing a dark-black yukata.

"At age six he killed two kids that were bullying his sister at The Farm, at age eight he drowned a kid in a toilet for calling him a loner. By age ten he had killed thirteen people, some of these were paid assassinations and others were just peers who bothered him. For the last few years he has been working around the clock."

"Stop calling them that." The hairless man says, leaning back in his chair.

"What?" The older man responds.

"Stop calling them kids. We refer to them as 'Lambs' now, you know that."

"That's what _you_ call them to make the newbies feel better about working with children who are more efficient at killing than a Terminator."

The hairless man stays silent.

"Anyway, Hachiman is an incredibly efficient… Lamb… He has forty-seven missions confirmed completed, the remaining 19 missions were never marked as confirmed because the bodies of the targets were never found, but in a way that's a confirmation in itself. You've worked with assassins from The Farm before, but I can assure you this boy is a cut above the rest. So, the choice is yours, would you like to contract him or not?"

They sit together for about 16 more seconds before the younger of the two accepts the deal.

Outside of the room, a 14-year-old boy sits down next to the door. He is reading a dumb romantic comedy light novel. These novels are the only things he uses as entertainment between his missions. He doesn't really care for movies or television as they are far too boring and unrealistic to him. That's not say this particular boy considers light novels inherently realistic, in fact they're probably less realistic given the freedom an author has when putting together a world, but he enjoys them anyway.

Perhaps he likes projecting himself onto the young main characters, despite not being able to relate to them. He's never been to a real school or dealt with the troubles of socializing and fitting in, however regardless of his lack of knowledge about regular teenage life, his past experiences have more than made up for it by turning the young boy into the cunning, capable assassin he is today.

Hearing footsteps from the other room, Hachiman puts the light novel into his back pocket and stands up straight. Currently he is wearing a white dress shirt along with dark-black jeans.

The two men walk out, and he greets them respectfully. The older man is named Ryuzaki and he is the assassins handler. He meets up with potential clients and arranges hit jobs that Hachiman will end up carrying out. Ryuzaki isn't just a handler though, he is also the one who trained the assassin in everything from choking a man to death to dissolving a body in an acid bath.

Hachiman looks at the other man. To most, his lack of body hair and overall appearance would come off as odd, but being an international hitman has pretty much dulled Hachiman to people like this. When you regularly deal with criminals that have earrings the size of feet or hyper colour cone nipples, a hairless man isn't going to set off any alarms. If anything this man in particular looks rather plain. You'd never guess he was the leader of a massive criminal empire and responsible for the majority of drugs, guns and gang violence in Tokyo.

"Thank you for offering your services Hachiman. Your skills will be of a great help to my business. I'm sure your handler will brief you soon, we're hoping to have you start the mission as right away.

"Of course." The assassin responds stoically. He is ready as ever to get back in the field as it's been over a month since his last mission, and despite enjoying the light novels he reads, he prefers real experiences to fictional ones.

The man in white bows then starts to walk towards the exit of the hotel room they're in. As he leaves Hachiman relaxes. Keeping up appearances with clients is important but when alone with his sensei he can act freely and of his own accord. The older man walks over to the couch and sits down, resting his back against the soft pillows. A few moments later he begins to speak

"Would you like to be briefed now Hachiman, or perhaps we can order some room service? Our new client was not cheap when it came to finding a hotel to meet at." Ryuzaki chuckles slightly. "In fact, I even got him to make the proper arrangements so that we can order whatever we want."

The sensei is not a very serious man, and he doesn't care much for formalities, believing only out of the box thinking can solve difficult tasks. He made sure to pass all of his knowledge onto Hachiman whilst training him in hopes his alternative and messy methods could live on.

"You can brief me now, Ryuzaki."

"Eager to get back to work I see."

"These books you give me lose their charm after reading the same story with different characters for the one hundredth time." The assassin responds with a playful grin on his face. He doesn't smile often but when he does it's usually his own jokes that cause it.

"You never know Hachiman, all those books about high school you've read may come in handy very soon."

This peaks his interest.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

His sensei smiles and hands him an envelope. He opens it and takes out the briefing from his new client, skimming through the paper. From his quick scan he deducts that he'll be extracting information from a high school teacher named Shizuka Hiratsuka and then assassinating her. The assassins eyes widen slightly as he realizes he'll going to high school after all.

* * *

 **6 Days Later**

For the past week Hachiman has studied the briefing as if it were the bible. He can recite it perfectly and spent every second of his day gathering as much information about his target, his new school and the area surrounding them. In this case he wasn't given much prep time as the semester started a week after the contract was worked out. Most of his clients don't cut the time between sealing the deal and starting the mission so close, but the assassin was sure his new employer had his reasons.

Ryuzaki recently got him a school uniform and they both decided that the current fake identity 'Hachiman Hikigaya' would be suitable for the mission.

Right now Hikigaya is alone in the apartment he and his handler will be using for a safe-house. It's close to the school and is designed in a way that they have several exits in case things go bad. The assassin opens a laptop and searches Shizuka Hiratsuka's name. Unfortunately there isn't too much about her online other than a long list of dating profiles which have less useful information than you'd think.

This isn't too much of a problem though. The briefing states that Hachiman has one year to get to know the teacher and find any dirt he can about her or her family. The reason for this is that Hiratsuka's father is an extremely powerful judge, known for his unwavering and almost ruthless sense of justice. Lately he's been going after the associates of Hachiman's current employer which has made a lot of waves in the criminal underworld.

If he were to be discredited, then the man dubbed "Komanda" who hired Hikigaya for this job, will gain even more influence. He sits alone in the apartment for a little while longer before eventually deciding to go for a walk. Today is the last day before he properly begins his mission, so Hachiman imagines some time out to clear his head would do him good.

After leaving the safe-house, he begins his journey through Chiba. He opts to wear a long coat over some standard pants. While walking along the pavement he looks on to the cars passing by. It's around four in the afternoon and the sun will be setting soon. There is a smell of flowers and freshly cut grass in the air. The paint on the road separating the lanes has worn off over the years and will soon need a fresh coat. In front of him, Hikigaya sees a bench near a bus stop. It's made of wood and is also pretty worn out.

The assassin decides to go sit down on it and finish off the light novel he'd been reading for the last two days. After about ten or twenty minutes of sitting alone a woman walks up to the bench he is at and sits down. He assumes she's just waiting for the bus and takes no interest. Mind you, not taking interest does not mean he is relaxed. His left hand is holding up his light novel whilst the other is in his coat and holding a pocket knife. You never know who might be trying to take you down.

Eventually a bus arrives, and some people exit the vehicle. The woman doesn't get on, instead she continues to sit patiently. After the bus leaves her breathing changes slightly. Originally, she was regulating her breaths, in and out in and out. Almost like she was nervous or excited, but now her breaths are long and drawn out. Hikigaya decides to pay closer attention to her. She's wearing a light pink top and jeans, no rings on her finger. She has makeup on, not too much but it's clear she dolled herself up a little for something. Her hair is long, she's basically sitting on it.

'Judging by the makeup, the outfit and where she is waiting it's safe to assume she was going to go on a date with someone, and it appears they stood her up.' He thinks to himself.

"Freaking asshole." The woman whispers under her breath holding her purse to her chest.

Hachiman says nothing, he starts his mission tomorrow, getting distracted by strangers is not an option and he decides now is a good time to leave. As he gets up she looks at him and his eyes unintentionally lock with hers. Within a second, he knows exactly who this woman is.

'Shizuka Hiratsuka.'

He pauses. This is his target. He questions what to do and unintentionally stares at her for too long. Needless to say this situation is unprecedented.

"What are you a pervert or something?" Hiratsuka asks sarcastically, holding her purse a bit closer to her chest than before.

"No." The assassin answers still unsure what course of action to take.

"Then stop staring at me and get going, school starts tomorrow."

Her breathing changes again, becoming short and strong. Hachiman is taken by surprise though he doesn't show it. How did she know he was going to school? Has he been made? Is the mission compromised?

'No, she is a teacher and I'm clearly around high school age. Anyone could reason that like every other kid I'd be going to school tomorrow.'

"Sorry." He says coldly and starts to walk off, hands in his pockets. He rationalizes that as teacher she probably lives in the same district as Sobu Highschool, which is where he staying as well. The chances of them running into each other are low but not impossible.

The older woman watches him walk away. Before taking out her phone and calling someone. They don't answer and her breathing is once again long and drawn out. The breathing of someone disappointed.

* * *

 **1 Day Later**

For most kids today is the first today of high school, for Hachiman Hikigaya today is the first day of his mission. As the morning bell rings throughout the school, he picks a seat in his homeroom class. The desk he chooses is next to the wall and close to the exit in case he needs to make a quick escape. The idea is that you stay near the door but not right next to it. If someone walked in with a gun, the person nearest to the door would be the first to get shot so if the situation ever got that bad Hikigaya could use the poor bastard in front of him as a human shield.

That's all hypothetical though and it's unlikely to be a scenario he finds himself in. Predictably the school day goes as smoothly as it could with Hachiman being assigned to the homeroom that Shizuka Hiratsuka is responsible for. As it is the teacher doesn't seem to recognize him from their short exchange.

'Maybe she did not get a good look at my face.' He thinks to himself while looking around the class.

Most of the kids have separate into groups and speak amongst each other throughout the classes as they meet the different teachers. Hikigaya has no interest in making friends with them and decides that this mission would be done best with as few distractions as possible.

As the bell for the end of the day rings Hachiman waits for everyone to clear out of the class.

'If you leave too early people think you are rushing off to be somewhere and if you leave at the same time as someone else, they might think you're tailing them, but if you leave after everyone, there is no one to noti-'

"Hachiman Hikigaya?" His thoughts are cut off by a teacher's voice. It's Hiratsuka. She's standing by the door looking at him.

"Yes, sensei."

"I'm your homeroom teacher from this morning." She says smiling.

"I remember."

"Great can you come with me?"

Hikigaya follows her out the classroom. As they walk he looks at her hair and unintentionally notices it's scent.

'It smells good.'

After about a minute of walking she leads him into a small office. Inside there is a table with a computer on top along with a vase that houses a yellow chrysanthemum inside. She sits down on the one chair and gets behind her desk. He sits on the other and looks at her.

"So, it says here that you've been home-schooled up until now, is that correct?"

"Yes." Hikigaya lies, although it isn't entirely an untruth.

He was schooled at 'home' it just was more unorthodox. Of course, Ryuzaki couldn't be honest about his early years so in his form they agreed on saying he was home-schooled.

"Well the principal has tasked me with getting you accustomed to what real school is like, we want to make everyone feel like they can be comfortable here."

'Excellent.' Hikigaya thinks to himself, knowing this was likely arranged by his handler to give him an opportunity to spend more time with his target.

Since he walked in and sat down, he's been subtly looking all over the tiny room, calculating things like how much time he'd have to duck for cover or get to the door. As he finishes his scan, the teacher stands up and pulls some stuff out of a draw. She then walks over to him and they lock eyes.

"Thank you, sen-" His words are cut off by her yelling "Pervert!" and punching him right in the gut. He falls over off the chair pretending as if she hurt him.

"You are the pervert from the bench yesterday!"

She crosses her arms and laughs obnoxiously.

"What a coincidence! As long as you don't try and do anything inappropriate to me at school, I won't tell anyone."

After that she and extends out her arm, indicating she wants to help him up. Hachiman takes her hand. It's small and her fingers are thin. Her palms are rough and wrinkly. She's clearly a working woman. Her grip is also very strong, and she pulls him up with ease.

The light novels he's read have left him with the belief that people enjoy getting complimented, so he does just that.

"You seem very dependable, sensei." He says following her out the tiny room.

Hiratsuka blushes slightly but tries her best not show it as she locks the door behind them. It's not often someone says something like that to her, especially after she assaults them.

Hikigaya begins to speak again.

"It's a surprise you aren't yet marri-"

He is once again interrupted by a punch to the gut and falls over.

'Guess I hit a nerve.'

"So, you are definitely a pervert. Saying things like that is unacceptable."

This time she doesn't help him up and continues walking.

"Are you coming?" She asks still turned away from him.

Hachiman stands up off the floor, and wipes the dust off his uniform.

"Yes sensei."

She walks ahead still blushing with a tiny smile on her face.

* * *

 **Authors Notes:** Thank you for reading, be sure to review!


	2. Patience

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu

 **2 Years Earlier**

Johannesburg Juvenile Prison, South Africa

Usually the missions are simple. Find the target and eliminate them by any means necessary. Unfortunately for Hikigaya, his newest target was an idiot and got himself thrown into a prison for minors. This complicated things greatly.

You see the target was 17 years old and has been charged with committing multiple acts of rape for a gang, because of his age and the nature of the crime the judge decided sending him to an adult prison facility was in order. Unfortunately, two prisoner transport buses had recently been stolen so the courts decided to put Hikigayas target in a Juvenile prison close to the court for 2 days while more buses were being imported.

After 48 hours the target would be taken to a proper prison where he can serve his sentence. Normally a random prisoner would be sent by the client to take him out, however the father of the target is a well-known government official and has arranged for his son to be put in a separate part of the prison away from the general population.

Once the target is there he will be untouchable, meaning Hikigaya has 48 hours to assassinate his target from inside the Juvenile Prison. If he does not complete the mission there will be no extraction and he will have to carry out his own sentence for the next two years.

Sensei Ryuzaki had already gotten Hikigaya booked for attempted murder, and because the South African legal system is such a mess, within a hours he was being processed.

* * *

 **Present day**

"You coming?" Hiratsuka says walking down the hall.

"Yes sensei."

Hikigaya gets off the floor and catches up to her, once again smelling her hair.

They continue walking until they reach a classroom. Hiratsuka opens the door and Hikigaya sees a girl sitting in a chair reading a book, there is no one else in the classroom.

"Sensei, knock please." The girl says sternly. She has also long black hair but with red ribbons.

"Sorry Yukino but you take too long to answer." Hiratsuka says this as if they've had this conversation many times.

"Well maybe if-"

Hiratsuka cuts her off "Anyway Yukino, I have a request. This is Hachiman Hikigaya, he's new to the school and I'd like you to show him the ropes of being a high schooler and help him out where you can."

'This is ridiculous. Even if I was really here for school I wouldn't need this kind of assistance.' Hikigaya thinks to himself before turning to leave but he is stopped when his arm his grabbed by Hiratsuka.

"You're not going anywhere Hikigaya." Her face is serious but there is levity in her voice.

"Let him leave," Yukino says "I decline your request."

"What?" Hiratsuka asks. There is no levity in her voice now.

"When I joined this club, you told me I had the right to veto one in every 5 requests from you. I chose to veto this one." Yukino looks back at her book, as far as she is concerned the conversation is over.

"Yes I may have said that but can't you do this for me please?" Hiratsuka now clearly not happy with her own promises being used against her was almost begging Yukino.

"But why Yukino?"

"Why would I want to spend my time with this gross looking man, he's probably a pervert."

'WHAT!? I've done nothing!' Hikigaya thought to himself wondering why everyone seems to think of him as a pervert.

Hiratsuka sighs a long sigh in defeat.

"Sensei, if you want to help this man so much, why not do it yourself."

Hiratsuka turned her head and looked directly into the eyes of Hikigaya for a good 6 seconds before her frown turns to a smile.

"I guess you leave me no choice, Yukino." Hiratsuka says now somewhat cheerfully before walking out the classroom with Hikigaya following her.

The teacher shuts the door behind her and once again looks directly at Hikigaya.

"Since Yukino refuses to help you out with school, I have so graciously taken the burden of your problems onto myself." Hiratsuka gestures from Hikigaya then to the middle of her chest while saying this.

"Thanks." Hikigaya says looking to the side.

"So, if you ever need any help with your work or anyone to speak to I'm always available."

"Thank you, sensei."

Hiratsuka doesn't say anything for a good few seconds almost as if she is mulling something over.

There is dead air for a few more seconds before the older of the two decides to speak again.

"Hikigaya, I think it would be best if you gave me your phone number so I can keep in contact with you."

'This is excellent.' Hikigaya thinks to himself, it's clear he's establishing some kind of rapport with her. 'This mission might go smoother than I predicted.'

"Of course, sensei." He responds unemotionally.

They exchange numbers and add each other as contacts.

"And listen here Hikigaya, if you even try to send me something inappropriate I won't hesitate to show you why that's not okay." Hiratsuka raises her fist with a devilish grin.

Hikigaya can see the sun setting from the hallway the two are standing in. He decides now's a good time to go home.

"Sensei, you may think of me as nothing more than a loner pervert but I believe you are way off base and one day may even come to respect me." Hikigaya chuckles at that and starts to walk past her.

Hiratsuka puts her hand on his shoulder causing him to stop.

"If I really thought that badly of you, we would not be standing here Hikigaya."

"I could say the same, sensei."

After saying that Hikigaya heard her breathing change.

'Was that a compliment!?' Hiratsuka thought to herself. 'Was that inappropriate or am I misunderstanding!?'

Hikigaya then put his hand on hers, clutched it, then removed it from his shoulder, and once again started to walk off.

Hiratsuka now trying to hide her flustered state, walked off in the opposite direction.

'A pretty good day at school,' Hikigaya thought to himself 'and an excellent start to the mission.'

* * *

 **2 Years Earlier**

In handcuffs, Hikigaya walks with about 50 other boys in a single file line. Usually he tries to not draw attention to himself but the colour of his skin is far too different from the rest of the inmates to go unnoticed. The line stops and a different guard walks up to the inmate and takes 31 of the boys onward. Hikigaya (along with 19 other kids) is told that this is their dorm, and that their curfew is 21:00.

"Failure to comply will result in punishment." The guard escorting them says this in 3 different African languages, as well as English. Then taps his baton

"Do I make myself clear!"

"Yes sir." The boys all answer individually in their respective languages. Hikigaya answers in English.

The inmates are uncuffed one by one and sent into their room. The door shuts behind them and is locked.

Hikigaya looks around the room, it is unclean and has a greenish tint. Everyone including him is wearing a navy blue jumpsuit, the clothes are clearly unkempt and unwashed. There are 4 bunk beds, some with blankets and some without.

'8 beds, 19 people?' Hikigaya knew the prison was overcrowded but this was crazy considering most of the inmates would have to sleep on the floor. He could only imagine how bad the other dorms were.

'Doesn't matter I have more important things to think about.'

Since the target is 17 years old, he's being kept two floors up.

'If I can get out of this room at night I could get to his cell and pick the lock, however the guards patrolling may be a problem. I could take the first one I see down fairly easily but if one of the guards further away decides not to fight and opts to sound the alarm, then I'll be in trouble.'

Hikigaya continues to think.

'The only time the older inmates and the ones from my age group see each other is when they eat, but there are tons of guards in the mess hall. If I even got up from my seat at least one of them would have their eyes locked on me. I can't do anything to upset the guards or they'll probably send me to solitary confinement. If that happens extraction will be impossible.'

Hikigayas planning is interrupted by two of his peers getting to an argument.

"That bed is mine! Stay off it."

"Fuck you asshole, find another bed!"

Hikigaya watches the two inmates be separated by their peers and then thinks for a bit longer, before deciding on a plan.

* * *

 **Present Day**

Hiratsuka sat at home at her desk looking at her reports and marking things off a checklist. Even though today was the first day of school and there wasn't anything to grade, she still had to make sure the schedule for all her lessons was in order, then print all the work for each student and get all the information necesary to teach them how to do the work. It was a pain but Hiratsuka always told herself that what she was doing was noble: moulding young minds and creating a better future for Japan, however just because that's what she told herself doesn't necessarily mean she bought into to it. She knew full well in 10 years she would go to a mall and see one of her students manning a cash register. 'Not that there's anything wrong with being a cashier.' she thinks to herself 'I mean a job is a job, and someone has to do the low-income ones, but is it my fault if they're lives only turn out mediocre?'

Hiratsuka sighs. The question was rhetorical, but she still wanted an answer. She gets up from her desk and walks over to her bed tiredly falling down on it.

She looks at her watch.

"Almost eleven o' clock." Hiratsuka mutters to herself. Her bed is comfortable but definitely too big for just her. She looks around her room, it's plain as ever. The walls are light grey and the floor is made of wood. There is a small cupboard next to her bed with a lamp and her phone on top.

Hiratsuka grabs her phone and unlocks it to see if she has any new messages.

She sighs, then frowns.

Hiratsuka plays around with her phone and absent-mindedly opens up Hikigayas chat.

'It's okay to text a student to see if they're alright, right?' She rationalizes to herself. She looks at the chat for about 30 more seconds before deciding against it and locks her phone.

'Don't be stupid Shizuka Hiratsuka!' She continues to berate herself in her head until she hears her phone ding from a notification.

The phone is unlocked and she has opened Hikigayas chat in what feels to her like half a second. In reality, it was probably even less than that.

Hiratsuka looks at the chat confused. There was no text from Hikigaya. She backs out from the chat to see the text was from someone else.

'It's the guy that stood me up yesterday! How dare he message me! I bet he thinks he can sweet talk his way out of it and get me to agree to go on another date with him! What a pig I could never love a man like that!'

Hiratsuka now fired up and confident, says "What do you want?" to his "Hey."

Four texts later, she agrees to go another date with him.

* * *

 **2 years earlier**

Hikigaya and his dorm-mates are on their way to the cafeteria to eat. There is a bit more freedom to walk as the dorms are right above the mess hall. Hikigaya makes his way over to one of the two kids that were fighting earlier.

"That totsi over there has been talking shit behind your back." Hikigaya says as he shifts his gaze to the other kid from the fight.

"He's a little bitch and he knows it." The shorter of the two is smug and clearly over-confident.

"Everyone's going to think you're the little bitch if you don't stand up for yourself and show that kid who's boss. Just looking out for you man."

Hikigaya gives the inmate some distance and observes him riling himself up.

Eventually they arrive at the cafeteria and take their seats. The older kids are on the far right of the hall whereas the younger ones stay to the left.

Hikigaya sits next to the taller kid from the fight and says the same things as earlier. This kid gets riled up as well.

'The plan is going smooth as ever.'

Scanning the cafeteria, Hikigaya spots his target.

'There are about 4 cafeterias in this Juvenile centre, each designed to hold 90 kids, however due to South Africa's high crime rate there are close to 150 kids per cafeteria. Once our time to eat is over, there will be a lot of people getting up and moving around, the guards will be too distracted maintaining order to notice me slip into the line for the older kids and because this prison is so poorly managed and over-crowded the guards wouldn't notice that there is an extra boy in the line. Thankfully puberty hit me pretty early, and my usual deadpanned expression isn't making me look any younger.'

Hikigaya looked over at the two kids that were arguing earlier. They are starting to get heated with each other.

"You're the only bitch here!" One of them yells.

"Say that again." The taller of the two says coldly pushing the other one to the ground.

The guards start to take notice.

The boy on the floor then launches at the kid who just pushed him. They begin to have a proper fight and inmates circle around him cheering.

Hikigaya reaches under the table and starts unscrewing a bolt with the side of his tray. Before getting put in the prison Hikigaya had looked up the type of tables used in the cafeteria and found that there was a bolt connecting the leg to the skirt. You'd never find it unless you knew it was there.

Even though Hikigaya only had a few hours to prepare he had a fair bit of contingencies just in case his main plan fell apart. Getting out of the cell at night would be difficult due to the patrols and he'd have to bump a key off a guard, which in itself could get tricky, however it was possible and if that's what it took he'd do it.

Hikigaya continued unscrewing the bolt as the cafeteria got louder with cheers and yelling.

'No need to worry at the moment, the plan is going fine, if I can get the bolt out in time and get to my targets line then everything will be perfect.'

The bolt loosens and Hikigaya pulls it out, he uses his teeth to make a small tear on the inside of his jumpsuit and the slides in the weapon.

At this point the guards have broken up the fight and some of them are banging their batons on trays trying to get everyone to go back to their dorms.

'This is my chance.'

Hikigaya heads over to his targets line pushing through a bunch of hyped up sweaty teenagers.

The guards lead the line back to the dorm paying no attention to the assassin amongst the inmates.

Once locked inside Hikigaya makes a place for himself in the corner, eager to complete his mission. Sensei Ryuzaki would be visiting him tomorrow, if the target is eliminated by then arrangements will be made to have Hikigaya removed as soon as possible.

"Who's that Chinese kid in the corner?"

"Never seen him."

"Yeah now that you mention it he does look new."

Hikigaya ignores them.

"You wanna go show him a good time ayy Thando?"

"Yeah."

* * *

 **Present Day**

Hikigaya wakes up early, getting in some push-ups and breakfast before taking a bath and preparing for school.

Hiratsuka also wakes up early. She eats her breakfast then goes to take a shower, whilst inside she looks at her shampoo. She has two bottles. She can use her regular one or try something new.

She decides trying something new wouldn't hurt. While shampooing her hair she wonders what it'd be like to have someone wash her hair for her. She never had anyone do it for her, and always felt like she was missing out.

'It must be nice.' Hiratsuka thinks while using her new shampoo. She frowns. 'Maybe my date with Shuu will go better this time, maybe he'll even show up. Then he can come and wash my hair for me.' She smiles to herself, imagining her perfect date.

At school Hikigaya sits alone at his desk reading a light novel as Hiratsuka does the register. Occasionally she'll glance over at him wondering if he's making any friends. He's not.

'Maybe if you didn't spend your time reading trashy books you'd be more popular.' Hiratsuka thought to herself ignoring the stacks of manga and empty cigarette packs in her desks drawer.

The day continued as usual. Hiratsuka had other students to care for and Hikigaya had other teachers to deal with. It wasn't until school was over they saw each other again.

Hikigaya was walking from his class to the exit whilst Hiratsuka was walking from a another class towards his.

Both see the other walking towards them and their eyes lock as they pass by with no words.

Hikigaya stops.

"Sensei?"

Hiratsuka stops as well.

"Yes?"

"Your hair smells different."

* * *

 **Authors Notes:** _What's up everyone, so it appeared the first chapter sparked some interest in people which is great. At this point, you've probably read chapter 2 so feel free to tell me if you like the flashback format. I think it helps pace out the story so things in the present day don't move too fast, plus I have a lot of ideas for 8mans adventures pre-Hiratsuka. Anyway I'll guess I'll address some possible questions you may have._

 _"Why is 8man 14 years old?"_

 _The answer is I don't know, I just chose an age that I thought would be good, however if it is a big issue for the 'realism' in the story I'll figure something out._

 _"Will Yukino and Yui be in this story?"_

 _Yes but 8man and Hiratsuka are the main characters._

 _Anyway if you have any other questions leave them in reviews and I'll answer them in the next chapter._


	3. Silence

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu

"Your hair smells different."

Hiratsuka's eyes widen and she blushes. She didn't think anyone would notice.

"Uhh… Umm..." She starts to choke up before spinning around and attempting to give Hikigaya a hard punch for saying that, but before her fist can connect he moves slightly to the side, dodging the attack causing her to slip and fall on her face.

"Sorry." Hikigaya says looking down at her.

Hiratsuka, sighs then rolls onto her back lifting herself up from the ground.

Hikigaya extends his hand, indicating he wants to help her. She looks at him for a second before taking it.

He starts to elevate her, however instead of standing up she grabs Hikigayas collar and pulls him down to the ground along with her.

"You may not say such things to your teacher Hachiman Hikigaya. It is inappropriate and will not be tolerated!"

"I didn't mean anything, by it sensei." he says as he gets up from the floor, wiping the dust off his blazer.

"I simply noticed a difference and pointed it out."

Hiratsuka also stands ups.

"Well you shouldn't say things like that to people Hikigaya, they will think you are stalking them and then they will come to me and complain! I will have to explain to them that you may be a lowlife pervert but you only stalk your teachers so the girls your age have nothing to worry about." Hiratsuka says all this with very exaggerated expressions and hand movements then starts to giggle.

Hikigaya looks to the side with an annoyed expression. Being outcast as some weirdo was definitely not part of the mission.

Hiratsuka notices his expression.

"I have a meeting to get to."

"Alright."

"I suppose you don't have much homework, so you're free to go home and we can discuss your work tomorrow."

"Okay."

There is silence for a few seconds before Hiratsuka, starts to walk off.

She gets a few metres of distance between them before Hikigaya calls out to her.

"And Sensei, I prefer how your hair smelled before."

This time Hiratsuka says nothing and keeps walking, she pretends as if she didn't hear him, but in reality, she's pretty mad.

'He preferred it before eh? Well it's a good thing I don't cater my hair to pervy students like Hikigaya. It would probably turn out a mess. What does he know about woman's hair?'

Hiratsuka smiles at her thoughts and in her head she continues to make fun of and berate him on her way to and during the meeting.

On his way out of school Hikigaya sees some bullies harassing a short kid. Their shirts are untucked, and sleeves rolled up.

The kid is wearing big glasses and is dressed very neatly.

Hikigaya has read a lot of light novels and there is usually a bully or a bully group that picks on the weak kids. He doesn't pay much attention to the situation nor should he. The things he has done to other humans go far beyond insults, so how could he criticise their actions?

As Hikigaya walks past them he is reminded of a couple of kids he met a while back.

* * *

 **2 Years Ago**

Johannesburg Juvenile Prison, South Africa

Hikigaya had completed a good chunk of his plan. He had a weapon and was in close range of his target, a 17-year-old who got sick of having a posh lifestyle and decided to join a gang.

To some extent Hikigaya could understand why the target did what he did, an easy life is a boring life. He willingly got himself locked in prison simply to complete a job. The large sums of money Hikigaya made doing jobs like this helped motivate him, but it's not like he spent it on anything other than cheap light novels.

He did this for the thrill and he knew it. Now laying in the corner of a locked dorm surrounded by young criminals, Hikigaya waits patiently for curfew, while at the same time some inmates talk about him amongst themselves.

"You wanna go show him a good time ayy Thando?"

"Yeah."

Thando walks over to Hikigaya, looking down at him.

"Hey Ching Chong, get up!"

Hikigaya ignores him and turns to face the wall he's lying down by.

"You better get up unless you want to get yourself trouble, Ching Chong."

"…"

"Ayy Thando, I think Ching Chong needs a lesson."

Thando starts to laugh before bending down and grabbing Hikigayas shirt, pulling him up and shoving his back against the wall.

The two look into each other's eyes.

Thando's are confident and fired up.

Hikigayas are dead and lifeless. He is showing no emotion.

"I don't want any trouble Thando." Hikigaya starts to reason with him, "I'm simply trying to spend my time here and leave when I can. Just like you. If you want to fight me, you are welcome to, but know I'm not interested in hurting you or your friend."

Hachiman shifts his gaze over to the kid Thando was just speaking with and then back at Thando. It appears reasoning with the aggressor did not work, as his eyes are even more fiery than ever.

Over the shoulder of the inmate attempting to scare him, Hikigaya can see his target. The 17-year-old is alone on the floor without a blanket or a pillow. His arms are holding his legs tightly against his chest, he clearly wasn't anywhere near the top of the food chain.

'Perhaps by joining a gang and getting sent to prison he bit off more than he can swallow.' Hikigaya thinks to himself before returning his focus to the boy in front of him.

"Thando are you done yet? It's been a boring day for me, and some rest wouldn't hurt, so you're welcome to have my corner if you let me sit alone somewhere else." Hikigaya says in a friendly tone, but with cold and unemotional eyes and a slight look of disinterest.

Before letting go of Hikigayas collar Thando looks around the dorm. Everyone's watching them. Today was not the day Thando would allow some random Asian to tell him what do.

He raises his fist, and propels it towards Hikigayas face, however instead of connecting with a person, Thando's fist connects with a brick wall causing him to scream in pain and fall to the floor.

Hikigaya looks down at him with one eyebrow raised.

'Did he really believe someone wouldn't be able to dodge that? He must not have fought many people.'

Thando screams in pain as everyone in the room stares at Hikigaya.

'This may be a problem.'

* * *

 **Present Day**

The rest of the week plays out uneventfully. Hikigaya goes to school, sees Hiratsuka in the morning and in her classes, then after school he goes to sit in her office and does homework while she marks papers.

Occasionally they'll discuss his social life and class work. The conversations are usually the same. Hiratsuka will try to push him into making more friends, then he'll explain to her why he'd prefer for his teacher to stay out of his social life and allow him to meet people more naturally.

They are going in circles and are both well aware of it, mind you Hiratsuka doesn't mind it all that much. She makes sure to tell herself that eventually she will get through to him and as a teacher she is helping a student, however deep down she knows that having him sit quietly across from her has made the once lonely afternoons she spent in her office a lot more bearable.

"Sensei?" Hikigaya (sitting across from Hiratsuka doing his homework) tries to get her attention.

The teacher looks up from the mess of papers and files on her desk. She has the look of "I'm busy what do you want?" on her face.

Hikigaya turns his head towards the vase on her desk.

"Why do you have so many chrysanthemum's?" he asks not breaking his gaze.

"I was told the flower represents loyalty and devotion. I use it to motivate myself to help every student I can. As a teacher it is very easy to lose focus on what is important…" Hiratsuka continues to speak about the duties of a teacher and how they have to sacrifice a lot for the future of Japan and even the world.

Hikigaya tunes her out continuing to look at the flower.

"Are you even listening?"

His attention is once again returned to Hiratsuka.

"Sensei, it's admirable how dedicated you are to your students, it's one of your more endearing traits. It's just that I was told those flowers represents loneliness."

Hiratsuka shoots the student across from her a dirty look before smiling.

"Hikigaya, how can I be lonely if I have you to spend my time with."

They look at each other for about 2 more seconds before Hiratsuka's warm smile becomes a devilish one.

"I mean you distract me in class with your antics, you berate me for my life choices and you keep me from my work. How can anyone feel lonely with you around? You're like a dark cloud on my sunny day."

"That so?" Hikigaya responds unemotionally clearly not fazed by her insults.

"Yes. Now stop distracting me, I have to get all this work done now as I will not have time to do it tomorrow."

Hikigaya looks down and continues doing his assignments.

Shizuka watches him for a few seconds as if she is waiting for something.

"Are you not going to ask me _why_ I need to complete it before tomorrow?"

"No."

Hiratsuka starts to laugh then speaks.

"For a stalker you are very bad at stalking. A good stalker would try and pry information from me every chance they get, and have me accidentally reveal what I'm doing tomorrow! Then when I go out they'd follow me and watch from the shadows, but they would not be content with just watching! The stalker would be desperate to reveal themselves!" Hiratsuka puts her hands to her chest. "Even though they know how bad what they're doing is, their love is too strong to simply ignore me!"

"You sound like you want a stalker." Hikigaya says still not paying full attention to her.

The teacher frowns and puts her arms down on her desk.

"For your information, I will be going on a date tomorrow. It may surprise you, but I'm still a very young woman so I should not spend my Friday nights alone."

Hikigaya puts down his pen and looks up into her eyes. Hiratsuka is caught off guard by his deep stare.

'Is he going to say anything?' She asks herself as they continue to look at each other.

"I've finished all of todays work and am going home now sensei."

"O…Okay." She responds slightly fumbling on her words.

They exchange goodbyes as Hikigaya walks out the door.

As he leaves the school he sees the 3 bullies harassing their usual victim. It seems like every day they're out front picking on the poor boy. For the sake of the kid Hikigaya has considered intervening several times, however making waves in school is the last thing he wants right now. Gaining someone's trust is a slow and delicate process especially when they have authority over you.

'If I were to make myself look like a _real_ troublemaker or a brute, Hiratsuka may begin to dislike me. If that happens she may be less inclined to have us spend time together, which would hinder a mission objective. If things go too bad I may have to resort to torture.'

He continues to think about the task at hand and his target as he passes by the boys. Hikigaya could easily hear what they're saying if he wanted to but chooses to tune them out. As far as he is concerned their affairs are none of his business.

* * *

 **2 Years Ago**

A few inmates begin to walk towards Thando.

"MY HAND! I think it's broken!" The once confident boy is now on the ground clutching his arm.

Hikigaya looks at him and then at his friend.

'I can't cause too big of a scene. If I injure anyone severely the guards will bust in and take me away.'

One of Thando's other friends who was idly watching earlier walks up to Hikigaya and raises his fist getting ready to attack.

 _ **Slam**_

Hikigaya falls to the ground. The punch was harder than he expected but taking it was important. He needed these inmates to feel like they're in charge.

 _ **Slam**_

'A kick to the stomach? What an amateur.' Hikigaya thinks to himself as braces for the next attack.

 _ **Slam**_

'Another kick, at least be creative.'

Thandos friend then grabs Hikigaya off the floor and throws him against a wall.

"We're in charge of this dorm, understand Ching Chong?"

Hikigaya nods and looks away.

The boy spits at his shoes then goes to aid his injured peer.

"Hey!" a voice whispers at Hikigaya.

He turns toward the source of the sound and sees an inmate sitting alone on the floor.

'The target.'

They look at each other for a few more seconds before Hikigaya makes his way towards the 17-year-old and sits beside him.

"I see Thando doesn't really like you."

The target laughs nervously when Hikigaya doesn't respond.

"He doesn't like me either, he's always picking on me and pushing me around. I'm not really cut out for prison, but you look like your handling yourself well."

"That so?"

There is an awkward silence for a bit before the target speaks up again.

"My names Seth, what's yours?"

Hikigaya gives him a fake identity.

"Cool, cool. So, since neither of us seems to have many friends here and you seem... nice, maybe we could umm… look out for each other, I guess."

Seth extends his hand for a handshake.

"Sure." They both shake hands.

There is more awkward silence, but Seth tries to keep the conversation alive.

"What are you in for?"

Hikigaya pauses before answering, "Attempted murder."

The target becomes clearly uncomfortable and his breathing changes.

"You must not be very good at… killing… if it was only for attempting… it." Seth tries to lighten the mood.

"I suppose."

The other inmates give Hikigaya dirty looks as they sit by Thando who despite crying in pain earlier is now trying to act tough.

"Well I'm here for a crime I didn't commit."

"That so?"

"Yeah, I got caught up with gangs and things went bad for me."

"Just you?"

"Probably. If any of my other... friends got busted they'd be in a real prison and not here. So I wouldn't know either way."

Hikigaya looks at Seth.

"What was this crime you _didn't_ commit?"

Wiping his forehead the 17-year-old explains how some of the gang members turned out to worse than he thought, however before Seth found out he loaned one of them his library card.

"One of the libraries near where we all met up had this system where if you brought in your friends' card you could pick up a book for them. Now my card had my name on it but not my face."

Seth went on to explain how his "friend" saw a girl walking alone on the way back.

"I don't know the details, but you can imagine what happened. I guess my library card fell out of his pocket, the girl found it and went to the police and now I'm locked in here for two days, after that I have to go to real prison."

"Sounds like a shitty situation."

"Yeah, it is."

Hikigaya thinks about what his target said.

'Surely, they would've gone to the library to interview witnesses, at least one would've seen the actual perpetrators face. He's probably lying.'

* * *

 **Present Day**

Hiratsuka unlocks the door to her apartment and heads straight to her room. Ever since Shuu (the guy who stood her up the day before school started) agreed to go on another date with her, Shizuka has been working extra hard to free up some time over the weekend.

Lying on her bed she starts to imagine how the date will go.

'I wonder where he'll take me! Maybe we'll go for a walk in the park or have a romantic dinner date! Or maybe we'll go do something exciting.'

She smiles to herself. She doesn't get the opportunity to go on dates very often, partly because she's busy but mostly because no one ever asks her out.

Hiratsuka closes her eyes and gets comfortable on her bed, she's pretty exhausted.

She thinks about the last week and all the time that she's spent being alone. Although her thoughts are depressing, in the back of her mind she knows that she has a date tomorrow and falls asleep contently.

After getting a good eight hours Shizuka goes through her daily routine.

While in the shower Hiratsuka looks at her two shampoo bottles. There is the one she usually uses and the new one she's been using for the past few days.

'I don't even like this one.' The teacher thinks to herself holding the newer shampoo.

The only reason she used it instead of her usual one was to spite Hikigaya.

'Maybe I'm being petty.' Hiratsuka grabs the one that both her and apparently her student prefers. She squeezes the bottle and the liquid squirts out into her hand, she begins to rub it into her hair, however since it is so long it takes quite a while.

When she is done Shizuka checks her phone.

 _No new messages_

She frowns and opens up Shuus chat.

" _Are we still on for tomorrow?"- sent Thursday 07:03_

'He still hasn't responded? He must be really busy.'

After locking her phone and getting her stuff ready, Hiratsuka leaves for school. On her drive there she sees Hikigaya walking on along the pavement.

She pulls up next him honking her horn and rolls down the passenger seat window.

"Get in!"

The student looks at her confused.

Hiratsuka's eyes widen as she is taken by surprise.

'That's not Hikigaya!'

"Uhh…umm I thought you were someone else." She fumbles for excuses. Then in a serious tone tells the student to hurry up and get to school or he may be late.

"Yes, sorry sensei!" the random student who looks a lot like Hachiman from behind bows respectfully.

Shizuka, now very embarrassed drives off.

'I should've offered him a ride! No, students shouldn't be in teacher's cars unless it's organized by the school, BUT THEN WHY WOULD I LET HIKIGAYA GET IN!' she yells loudly in her head.

Gripping the steering wheel and panicking Hiratsuka reverses the car back to the student.

Rolling down passenger window she tells the boy that she'll drive him to school. He accepts with gratitude and gets into her car.

The ride to school is awkward and he says hardly anything.

'If this was Hikigaya he would make a comment about how my car smells of cigarettes and that's why I can't find a husband.'

Shizuka sighs.

'Then I'd get mad and punch him in the arm. At some point after that we'd share a look and we'd both know that we're on good terms in spite of our actions.'

Now she is smiling. She knows comparing students isn't right, and teachers should never play favourites but the time she spent with Hikigaya was far too enjoyable for her to not be a little biased.

'He's smart, perceptive, sometimes even funny, and he'll speak his mind to me even though he knows the consequences.'

Hiratsuka's inner thoughts are cut off when they arrive at the school. She and the student get out and go their separate ways after exchanging very formal goodbyes.

On the way in Shizuka sees Hikigaya at the bike rack and walks over to him. He sees her and when she is close enough he greets her.

"Good morning sensei."

'Good morning Hikigaya."

No more words are exchanged between them as they walk together from the bike rack all the way to homeroom. Unlike the previous student Hiratsuka traveled with, the silence shared between her and Hachiman was not awkward but rather comforting.

* * *

 **Notes from the author:** _I_ _guess we're at chapter 3 now which is awesome. I'll probably have chapter 4 out by the end of the week so get hyped. Leave a review or a favourite or a follow if you're enjoying the story so I know to continue it! See ya next time :D_


	4. Service

**Disclaimer** : I do _not_ own Oregairu

* * *

"Sensei is it true you have a date tonight!?"

"Who is it with? Is it one of the teachers?"

"Is he handsome?"

"Are you going to marry him!?"

Hiratsuka is bombarded with questions about her date. Apparently one of the girls in her class heard her mention it to another teacher and word spread throughout the school fast.

"Go back to your desks and do you work! My date is none of your business."

The girls surrounding Shizuka sigh.

"But yes, he is very handsome."

The students shriek in excitement and opt to leave her alone before they get in any real trouble.

Throughout the day all Hiratsuka hears are conversations about her date, some whispered and some very loud. She may love the attention, but privacy would also be nice.

'I already have Hikigaya stalking me! I don't need to deal with everyone else minding my business as well.'

She sips her coffee. It's not her drink of choice but she'd settle for it.

" _You may not bring alcohol on the school premises!"_

Shizuka recalls the scolding she got from the principal just for asking him to consider it.

'It's not like I'd go around taking shots with students. It'd be mine and only mine!'

She pictures herself gulping down some whiskey after a hard day's work.

'Hikigaya might see me do it since he spends a lot of afternoons in my office. He'd probably end up reporting me so that I'd get fired and couldn't pester him anymore.'

Hiratsuka slouches slightly in her chair. She's currently sitting in a class full of kids who are a doing test. The only sound to be heard is a ticking clock on the wall.

'Maybe I could give him some of my whiskey? That'll loosen him up.'

The teacher considers her words for a second and deducts the principal may have been right after all.

Looking over at the clock she slouches down further.

 _ **Tick**_

 _ **Tick**_

 _ **Tick**_

Shizuka inhales and looks away. Time seems to be moving slower for her today.

'I wonder what Hikigaya is doing.'

Despite having a date with an adult, it's a child that's taking up most of her thoughts. Perhaps it's all the time they've spent together this week or perhaps it's the fun moments they share in that time, Hiratsuka doesn't know and she doesn't really want to.

'Maybe Shuu has responded.'

She takes her phone out of her pocket and opens up his chat.

" _You're not standing me up again are you? :D" - sent Friday 13:27_

Even though the message wasn't serious Hiratsuka _is_ starting to get worried.

'What if he is standing me up? Does that make my text look desperate?' Internally she begins to panic and shuts off her phone before she can cause any more problems for herself.

 _ **Tick**_

 _ **Tick**_

 _ **Tick**_

For the next 30 minutes Shizuka sits and does nothing, having the worry of being stood up in the back of her mind and a certain student in the front.

Eventually all the kids hand in their tests and the bell for the next lesson rings. Hiratsuka packs up her stuff and heads over to the next class she'll be monitoring: 2F.

'Hikigayas class.'

* * *

 **2 Years Earlier**

The room is dark. The floor is made of concrete and feels ice cold. Some boys are huddled together while others lay by themselves shivering. The guards outside the dorm have 5-minute rotations. When one arrives at their door he'll open a hatch, look into the room with a flashlight, then move on. 5 minutes later a second guard will do the same.

Hikigayas target is sleeping about 2 metres away from him, completely unaware that he wouldn't be waking up in the morning.

Feeling the heat of a flashlight on his face the assassin braces himself. Once the guard walks away he has five minutes to take out the target and plant the evidence on another inmate.

Hikigaya believed he could do both in under 2 minutes but also wanted to make use of the time.

As the hatch closes the 12-year-old takes his shot.

Since a few hours earlier Thando (an inmate who tried to pick a fight with Hachiman) ended up injuring his hand, he's had a pillowcase wrapped around his forearm and wrist. At some point after he fell asleep the pillowcase slid off and was right next to Thando free for the taking.

Hikigaya gets up and moves silently over to Thando. Shifting his weight from foot-to-foot the assassin is as silent as a feather hitting the ground.

Now crouched down next to the boy, Hachiman reaches for the pillowcase and pulls it up over his shoulder.

He then pulls out the bolt he got from the cafeteria and wraps the pillowcase around it. Once again, and as silent as physically possible Hikigaya heads towards his target.

'3 minutes.'

Seth is sleeping on his side with his back to the assassin.

" _I don't know the details, but you can imagine what happened. I guess my library card fell out of his pocket, the girl found it and went to the police and now I'm locked in here for two days until I have to go to real prison."_

The targets words echo through Hachiman's head.

'Surely he can't be innocent. It doesn't make sense. It doesn't need to.'

Hikigaya exhales silently.

'It doesn't matter whether he is innocent or guilty. It doesn't matter whether or not he's a good person. Morality is too subjective to mean anything. He is my target and I have a mission. 2 minutes left.'

As Hikigaya completes his objective, the target takes his last breath.

He's not here for justice or to make decisions. Hachiman is here to complete a task, nothing more and nothing less and absolutely nothing could stop him from completing the mission. No matter what the mission was.

'1 minute, 30 seconds.'

After Hikigaya plants the bloody bolt and pillowcase on Thando, he heads over to his original corner and lays down quietly. The guards would discover the body very soon, the patsy would be hauled off and tomorrow Sensei Ryuzaki will have him taken out of the Juvenile Prisons custody.

The hatch on the door opens.

"Hey, what's going on in here!?"

Another guard rushes over.

"I think that's blood!"

The two officer bust in, yelling and hitting their batons against the walls.

One of them attempts to aid the bloody inmate but is unsuccessful.

"WHO DID THIS!?" The other guard yells.

The inmates look around at each other, but the lights are still off. The only things keeping the room from being pitch black are the guards' torches.

"Look here!" One of the guards discovers the bolt by Thando.

"It was him!?"

Thando is taken by surprise and starts yelling curses at the men.

 _ **SLAM**_

 _ **SLAM**_

 _ **SLAM**_

Hits from a baton against his back and legs are enough to stop Thando from protesting. Another guard hears the commotion and arrives at the dorm to see what's going on. Once it's clear what happened he pulls out his radio.

"Call in a doctor and turn on the lights… One of the inmates has been murdered."

Two of the officers forcefully escort Thando out the dorm, leaving only one to watch the body.

Most of the boys have figured out what happened and one even throws up.

The guard is sweating and has a panicked look on his face.

Hikigayas expression is cold and emotionless as ever.

* * *

 **Present Day**

'Does this woman really believe I have not noticed her look up at me from her desk 10 times within the last 5 minutes?'

'Hikigaya better ace this test or I'm going to be furious!'

'She probably expects me to ace this test, but how could someone even pass while getting glared at by a teacher!'

'I wonder if he's seen me. If he has it should motivate him to do his best, knowing I'm watching.'

Hiratsuka and Hachiman continue their silent mental battle from across the room for another five minutes before their eyes lock.

 _ **Tick**_

 _ **Tick**_

 _ **Tick**_

The teacher motions her head downwards attempting to tell her student to focus on his test.

'What is she trying to tell me?'

He starts to shake his head to the side trying to convey he wants her to stop watching him.

'Is he saying he wants to leave with me? Pervert!'

She subtly shakes her fist at him and scowls.

 _ **Tick**_

 _ **Tick**_

 _ **Tick**_

Hikigaya finishes the test and puts down his pen, he then looks up at Hiratsuka with a "are you happy?" face.

She puts the sides of her hands together and looks into her palms trying to tell him to go through his answers.

'Is this woman hungry?'

He begins to make gestures as if he is eating food.

'No you may not in eat in my class how dare you even bring it up!'

Hiratsuka vigorously shakes her head.

'If she isn't hungry then what does she want?'

At some point, one of the students notices them.

'Are they communicating?' The light brown-haired girl asks herself as she watches.

'Is sensei giving… that boy… the answers? If she is why does he look like he's pretending to eat food? Is food related to the test?'

The girl begins to panic and flips through the pages looking at all the questions.

'Food… food… food… Nothing!?'

Now very confused she continues to watch the student and the teacher, hoping to understand what's happening, however their silent discussion is soon over.

Shizuka stands up and tells the class their time to finish is up and that that the bell would be ringing any second.

"Everyone who is done must put their test on the right side of my desk and everyone who isn't done must put it on the left side, if I am feeling nice on Monday maybe I'll let you finish then."

 _ **RING RING RING**_

"Once you've put your test down on my desk you're free to leave."

This was the last lesson of the day and Hiratsuka was eager to get home. She had to clean up her apartment for when Shuu arrives, then she'd have to shower and pick an outfit.

Thinking about it made the single woman even more excited and she was on the verge of sprinting out the classroom.

After everyone is out and Shizuka has locked the door, she notices Hikigaya waiting for her.

"Is something wrong?" the teacher says as she puts the keys in her bag.

"Let me carry that for you sensei."

Hachiman extends his arm.

"Being nice to me won't score you extra points on the test Hikigaya."

She gives him her bag.

"I know, I just wanted to help you."

They begin to walk down the hall almost touching shoulders.

"Since when do you want to help anyone?"

A few students walk past them.

"I don't want to help _anyone_ sensei, I want to help you."

Another teacher being helped by a student walks past them. Unlike Shizuka and Hachiman, these two are about a metre apart and have said nothing to each other.

"Well… you should try and help other people as well."

After leaving the building Hiratsuka decides to ask Hikigaya about something that's been on her mind for some time.

"How did you first know I'm not married? Is it…" she begins to speak under her breath, "is it that obvious?"

They are almost at her car.

"I knew you weren't married because you didn't have any rings on your fingers."

Shizuka sighs internally. His deduction made a lot of sense and had she looked at herself from a third person point of view, she'd have probably come to the same conclusion but before she can compliment him for being so perceptive, Hikigaya continues to speak.

"Don't get me wrong, it is still very obvious that you aren't married."

They arrive at the car and Hiratsuka shoots him a very dirty look.

"I was about to pay you a compliment for being so perceptive, but then I remembered it's just your weird obsession with me, pervert."

She opens the trunk of her car and he places down the bag before starting to walk off.

"Hikigaya wait."

He stops but doesn't turn around. They are in almost the same situation as this morning.

"Yes, sensei?"

There is a bit of silence.

"I'll... see you on Monday."

There is a bit more silence.

"Have fun on your date sensei, you deserve it."

Hiratsuka watches as Hikigaya walks off towards the exit.

" _You deserve it."_

She smiles as his words playback in her head.

"Thank you."

Her response isn't loud enough for him to hear, but she is satisfied with the exchange none the less.

* * *

 **2 Years earlier**

After the target's body was found, Hikigaya's dorm was flooded with guards and cleaners. Due to overpopulation, the prison couldn't arrange for the boys to be transferred to a different cell and they had to spend the night handcuffed to a railing whilst being questioned by officers.

People dying is always a big deal even in bad prisons. It was treated with the utmost scrutiny and the warden made sure everyone from the secretary to the head officer knew this, however because of the overwhelming evidence and his history of violence, Thando was quickly determined to be the killer, so an investigation was put off.

Hikigayas plan had gone flawlessly and all objectives were done. Sensei Ryuzaki had arranged visitation and prepped false documents to have the Hachiman put into his custody.

 _Mission Complete._

About an hour afterwards, the assassin and his sensei sat at a restaurant and discussed everything that happened. If it were up to them, they'd be eating a nice hot cup of ramen, unfortunately most South African restaurants don't serve noodles, so they settled for soup.

"I'll contact the client later and tell him everything is done, after that you should receive the other half of your payment."

"Alright." Hikigaya says as he looks around the restaurant at the people going about their day. To the side of him is a couple, they're sitting across from each other and having a conversation. It's clear one of them is less interested in the topic and is only pretending to care as to appease their partner.

On the other side of Hikigaya there is a mother and her two children. One of the kids is playing with a tiny car and the other is eating a burger.

'They seem happy.'

Hachiman smiles. He never knew his mother or his father. The only family he had was Sensei Ryuzaki and his sister Komachi. He's always wondered what it'd be like to have a normal life, one where you don't risk it on a regular basis. He knows it's cliche to have thoughts like that but he can't help but be curious.

"Waaaah!"

In the corner of the restaurant, a baby starts to cry. It's loud and is attracting everyone's attention. The mother picks it up attempting to calm it down but has no luck.

'I wonder if I'll ever have children.'

Hikigaya considers it for a second and concludes that having children is not a possibility. He would need a female to have them with or he'd need to adopt. Neither option sounds like something worth the effort to him.

'No children for me then.'

He frowns and puts some food in his mouth.

"Is something bothering you?"

Even from a young age, Sensei Ryuzaki knew when Hikigaya was feeling down. Apparently he had a "tell" that would reveal when he was genuinely unhappy, however only Ryuzaki knew what the "tell" was and wouldn't reveal it to anyone. They had many debates about how if Hachiman knew what the "tell" was he could stop doing it and possibly lie better during his missions, but the sensei wouldn't budge and maintained the notion that no one else would figure it out.

"No, I'm fine. Just exhausted from the mission."

"Well, you have a lot of time to rest. You did a good job, and you should enjoy your free time. Who knows when the next mission will be."

"Thank you sensei."

* * *

 **Present Day**

On his way out the parking lot, Hikigaya considers where his relationship with Hiratsuka is going. Whether or not he's moving too slow or too fast is something he has yet to know the answer to. For him, it's the most troubling part of the task.

'If I don't get the information my client wants quick enough, the mission will fail. That wouldn't be very good.'

He looks around, taking in the environment. Most kids are either at their clubs or have already gone home.

'If I move too fast, Hiratsuka may begin to suspect me. Also not very good.'

As Hikigaya arrives at the school gate he sees the same three bullies as usual. This time their victim is not around and they're just speaking amongst themselves.

"I'm telling you man it'll be fine. Who knows what kinda shit she'll have in there!"

One of them is clearly trying to convince the other two of something.

"I don't know, this is risky to even speak about."

"Just trust me, we'll be in and out."

Hikigaya doesn't care much for their conversation, but they're standing right by the gate meaning he'll probably catch a bit of the topic as he passes.

"What if she's home and sees our faces?" One of the boys asks. He looks uncomfortable and has his arms crossed.

"She won't be home she's got a date tonight plus I've got some masks in my bag just in case."

This gets Hachiman's attention.

'Are they referring to Hiratsukas date?'

He begins to walk slightly slower.

"I'm saying we go over to her apartment at about eleven, break the door open, grab all her jewels or whatever then we're gone. It's too easy to pass up." The tallest of the group is practically begging them to join him.

"You sure she won't be home?"

"Yeah, positive."

The other two boys start coming around to the proposal.

'Are they going to attempt to rob Hiratsuka? This could be a problem.'

Hikigaya walks past them doing nothing to indicate he is aware of their plans.

'I should tail them for the rest of the afternoon. Maybe they'll change their minds. Worst case scenario I'll have to intervene.'

After they leave the school he stays about 20 feet behind them, because this is Japan, he blends in perfectly. They walk slowly at first, clearly taking their time. It's Friday so the stress of doing homework is toned down, although these kids probably don't do their homework anyway.

On their walk they crack lots of terrible, unfunny jokes, they bump into random people and throw sticks at passing cars. At no point do they notice someone's following them.

The first place the boys go to is a hardware store. They pool their money together to buy 3 backpacks and a hammer.

The bags are no doubt to store the loot and the hammer is probably to break open the door.

'That's an odd choice.' Hikigaya thinks to himself as they pay for their items.

The next place the high schoolers head to is a convenience store. After failing to convince the guy at the cash register to let them purchase alcohol the boys leave cursing him on their way out.

It's now almost eight o' clock and the sun has set. Whilst Hikigaya follows the possible criminals, Hiratsuka prepares for her date.

* * *

'Should I wear this one… or this one?'

With one eyebrow raised the single teacher looks at her options.

'I want to look stylish but not like I'm trying. I also want to look like I can have any guy I see, so my date is lucky to have me. Hmmm.'

On her bed is a green blouse and next to it is a crop top. She's never worn a crop top before and considers her dress style more conservative, but a friend gifted it to her on Shizukas 21st birthday and since it's never been used the teacher thinks it might be a good time to try it out.

After putting it on she quickly changes her mind.

She tries on the other clothing item and twirls in the mirror. Thinking it looks good, her anticipation skyrockets.

'We may tell our kids stories of tonight! Of how romantic our first date was!'

She shrieks. When excitement gets the better of her, Hiratsuka throws all shame and caution out the window.

While she does her hair and make-up she thinks of all the possibilities her future might hold, what her wedding will be like, what she'll name her kids, where she'll live.

Afterwards she goes to lay down on her bed. Thinking too hard about the future can tire anyone out. Hiratsuka opens her phone to see if Shuu has responded yet.

 _1 new message._

With a big grin on her face, she opens his chat.

" _Hey sorry but something came up. Maybe next time k?" – sent 20:08 Friday_

Her grin disappears, and a look of disappointment covers her face. She clutches her phone tightly, staring at the message.

" _Hey sorry but something came up. Maybe next time k?" – sent 20:08 Friday_

As she lays on her bed devastated, a group of boys gets closer to her apartment building.

* * *

 **Authors and their notes am I right?:** _Looks like Shuu canceled on Shizuka again. What a terrible guy. Guess she'll be spending Friday night alone, but the potential home invaders don't know that. What happens next? Favourite and follow to find out :^)_


	5. Collision

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu

Previously on Match Point: Over the past week Hiratsuka and Hikigaya have formed a small bond, spending most days together in her office. After news about the teachers date spread throughout the school a group of delinquents made plans to rob Shizuka while she's out. Hachiman catches wind of this, and tails them around town. Little does he (or the possible criminals) know that the teacher has been stood up and won't be going anywhere. What will happen when these three parties collide? Find out!

* * *

'What a pig.'

Hiratsuka begins cry and tears stream down her cheeks. She throws her phone to the side and buries her face in a pillow.

'What a pig! What a pig!'

"WHAT A PIG!"

The only person Shizuka hates more than Shuu right now, is herself.

"Am I really that worthless? Am I annoying? Am I uninteresting? Why does no one want to spend time with me!"

Pressing her face harder into the now tear soaked pillow she continues to complain.

"What am I supposed to do? Sit alone? I mean that's what I do every day." Hiratsuka lets out a depressing laugh.

'This is pointless. Why do I even try? It happened again, and it will happen more.'

She looks around her room and decides laying down doing nothing all night is not going to help and stumbles her way over to the kitchen. After opening an all too familiar cupboard, the teacher begins to list her options.

"Vodka? No. Whiskey? Maybe later. Brandy? Never again. How about some good old fashion wine?"

After grabbing the bottle, she unscrews the lid and starts to chug. The alcohol falls down her throat smoothly, barely hitting her tongue at all. Eventually she needs oxygen and puts down the bottle.

Shizuka begins to giggle. Then cry. Then giggle again. The wines already making her feel a bit lighter.

She decides to be a bit more civilized and grabs a glass, however, it slips out her hand and breaks into pieces all over the floor.

She takes another sip from the bottle and makes a mental note to clean up the shards later.

With wine in hand, Hiratsuka goes back to her bed, taking big sips along the way. For the next 10 or so minutes she alternates between defeated laughs, exhausted cries and half-hearted attempts at getting up.

Eventually, she runs out of tears and just lets out long sighs instead of crying.

"Aaaaaaah. How did it happen again?" the teacher says as she pouts.

Her vision starts to get slightly fuzzy and the room becomes a bit brighter. The alcohol appears to be kicking in.

"You know who would never do this to me? Hikigaya. Even though he hates being in my office, he shows up every single day!"

She points directly at the roof as she speaks, pretending Shuu is in front of her.

"And you know what, I like him being there! It's like having a little version of me who's more depr-…" she pauses and starts over, "He's like a little version of me who's about equally as depressed."

Hiratsuka grins.

"I mean who even are you? You're nobody. You even have a dumb name: Shuu! Haha! Real dumb. You think because you're a manager of a supermarket you can have any girl you want? Nope! Can't have me! I'm too good for you!"

After about 10 seconds of feeling confident, the single woman begins to cry, now harder than before.

"But if he's such a loser does that make me worse because he doesn't want me!?"

She kicks her legs in the sky then grabs her phone and opens up Shuus chat.

" _Hey sorry but something came up. Maybe next time k?" – sent 20:08 Friday_

More tears stream down her face as she drinks up the last bit of wine.

'Dammit.'

Her fingers play around with the screen and Shizuka finds her way to Hikigayas chat.

'I should say hi just to check in right? Yeah it's not that late.'

She types "Hey, what's up :D" and sends it.

No reply.

"NOT YOU TOO!"

She spends the next 30 minutes sulking.

* * *

"Okay, you take the hammer and break open the door. Then me and Watari run in and grab all of her stuff."

"Wait. Why don't I get to go in as well?" Hideki asks curiously.

"Because you're keeping watch."

"No way I wanna fill my bag too and you said no one was home!"

Hikigaya listens as the boys discuss their plan. They are huddled the hallway of Hiratsuka's apartment building, unbeknownst to the person eavesdropping on their conversation from behind a corner.

"Fine whatever, we all go in but we have to be quick! Are you guys ready?"

Watari and Hideki nod.

According to the phone book, Shizuka lives in apartment 110 on floor 3. The door is brown and is made of wood with an iron handle.

The three boys put on their masks and Hideki readies the hammer.

'Looks like they're actually planning on doing this.'

Hikigaya doesn't intend on stopping them. Since Hiratsuka isn't home their crime is victimless and thus unimportant. The only reason he is staying around is in case they do something that could harm her, like leave a knife under a pillow or start a fire. These delinquents are unpredictable, so you never know.

"1…2…3…"

 _ **SLAM**_

Hideki hits the handle with his hammer but nothing happens.

 _ **SLAM**_

Nothing.

 _ **SLAM**_

The assassin watching them begins to laugh to himself.

 _ **SLAM**_

'Amateurs.'

 _ **SLAM**_

"It's not breaking man!"

"Shit… shit shit. Try kicking it."

 _ **BANG**_

The door makes a cracking sound.

 _ **BANG**_

"It's working!"

 _ **BANG**_

 _ **BANG**_

 _ **BANG**_

Eventually the door starts caving in and separating from the frame.

 _ **BANG**_

 _ **BANG**_

 _ **BANG**_

After several hard kicks, the door flies open.

"It's open, get inside quick!"

The three boys run into the flat and start opening random drawers and cupboards. They grab everything from photo frames to glass ashtrays. This is very clearly their first-time looting.

Hikigaya peeks around the corner looking into Hiratsukas apartment being raided by these kids. There is no rhythm or direction to where they are looking.

'Are they really this stupid, why not check und-'

Hachimans thoughts are cut off when the bedroom door opens and Shizuka stomps out looking furious.

"What the hell is going on here? Who the hell are you? Get out of my apartment!"

The intruders freeze and go silent.

'This is a problem.'

Hideki raises his hammer and starts yelling threats at the teacher telling her to stay back. As he does this the other two begin to panic.

"Shit, let's go!"

Hikigaya prays that Hiratsuka will keep her mouth shut and cooperate.

"Hey, I know your voice! You're Watari from class 2B! I gave you a test today!"

There is silence again.

'Is this woman an idiot! Can't she use her brain for a second!'

"Uh… Uh…" Watari begins to walk backwards and starts to fumble for words. "Someone… shut her up!"

"What do you want us to do?"

"I'm not going to prison man! No way I'm going to prison! Do something Hideki!"

"SHUT UP! DON'T SAY MY DAMN NAME!"

The situation is derailing fast, and Hiratsuka is only putting gas on the flames.

"Wow, so we already have Watari and Hideki, can't wait till wannabe gangster number 3 drops his name!"

"SHUT THE HELL UP!"

"No, you shut up, and get out of my house!"

There is a pause and the would-be robbers all look at each other.

"She knows our names, what are we gonna do!"

Hideki (now drenched in sweat) looks Hiratsuka in the eyes and clutches the hammer.

The confidence on her face disappears as she realizes what the boys may be considering.

On instinct the teacher turns and sprints towards the kitchen to find a knife to defend herself, however before she can reach the utensils, Shizuka feels a heavy pain on her right shoulder that causes her to fall over.

She puts her hands out in an attempt to soften the fall, but lands directly on the broken glass and gets a deep cut on her right hand. Without anything to cushion the fall, she hits her head on the hard ground.

Blood begins to spill everywhere, and the already drunk Hiratsuka has even more of her vision blurred by the trauma to her head. The ringing in her ears muffles the yelling by the intruders.

"Hit her in the head man!"

"What? You do it!"

"No way I'm not go- who put the lights off!?"

Shizuka clutches her right hand and starts to crawl forward away from the suppressed yelling.

 _ **THUMP**_

She feels vibrations as if something just hit the ground.

 _ **CRASH**_

A vase hits the floor and someone yells in pain.

 _ **THUMP**_

The wounded woman turns her head to see what's going on.

'Have the police come?' she asks herself.

There is more commotion and screaming in the living room. From where she is lying Hiratsuka can only see her coffee table and one of the couches parallel to it.

One of the intruders stumbles backwards into her view with his hands in a pleading position.

"Listen please, just let…just let us go we'll never come back, man I'm sorry, we weren't going to do anything! I'm sorry please!"

Someone else walks towards him. She can't make out who it is due to the living room lights being off but it appears he's holding the hammer.

"Leave. Now."

The unknown persons words are cold enough to send shivers down the bravest of spines.

"Yeah, I'm going, I'm going!"

Hideki runs out of Hiratsukas view towards his accomplices, who are both stumbling their way out the apartment. The figure stands dead still as he watches them leave.

Shizuka attempts to stand up. Who knows what this person may want. As she elevates herself off the ground, the unknown persons head turns toward her.

He walks out the darkness into the light of the kitchen, revealing his face.

'It's… It's Hikigaya.'

The teachers heart begins to beat fast and she opens one of her drawers, pulling out a knife.

"What… What are you doing here… Hikigaya?"

The blood from her wound has now covered the floor and her clothing, she's beginning to feel a little light headed and worries that the person in front of her may be a hallucination.

"I am not going to hurt you." He reaches out his hand in an attempt to comfort her but it only distresses Shizuka more and she points the knife at him.

"Answer the question… why… are… you-"

Before she can finish the sentence, black rings cloud her view and she loses consciousness. Hikigaya catches her before she hits the ground and the knife drops to the floor.

* * *

Hachiman carries Shizuka to her bedroom and lays her down on the bed. Her room is decently sized, with a queen sized bed in the middle. Next to the bed is a nightstand with a lamp and some papers on top. There is also a table by one of the walls with chrysanthemums inside.

Once everything is calm he then checks her bathroom for bandages, luckily, she has a small role in the medicine cabinet.

After that, he goes to the kitchen and fills a large bowl with water and soap. The floor is still covered in blood and glass but the counters are spotless and shining. They are made of marble and look to have been recently polished.

'If I help Hiratsuka now she may feel more comfortable around me. Alternately, her reaction from earlier implies she may view me as an intruder as well.'

Carrying the bowl to her room Hachiman continues to think.

'Regardless, if she sustains any serious injuries it may cause problems for the mission. So I suppose I'll help her.'

He kneels down by her bed and takes out a cloth, wetting it with the soapy water. After cleaning the wound on Hiratsukas hand, the 14-year-old boy covers it with the bandage. He's touched her arms before but this is the first time he's seen them up close. Her palms are obviously rough, but she has surprisingly smooth forearms.

'Sensei doesn't look like she'll be waking up anytime soon. The blood loss,' he looks to the side noticing an empty wine bottle '…and alcohol must've really done a number on her.'

Hachiman walks back into the living room. Everything is a mess. Tables, chairs and broken pieces of glass litter the floor. The door is badly broken and would need to be replaced.

'Some of this stuff this was messed up because me, so it'd be rude if I didn't do _something_ about it.'

He begins to lift up the tables and chairs and puts them all in order, after that he closes the draws and cupboards. Hikigaya finds a broom and sweeps all the glass onto a dustpan then disposes of it in the bin.

The blood in the kitchen is soon mopped up and a couch is pushed against the door to make sure it stays closed. Every 10 or so minutes Hikigaya would check on his target.

'Looks like she's still not awake.'

Across from unconscious womans bed is a television with a DVD player. Hachiman opens a nearby drawer and goes through the contents.

'Empty cigarette packs… some coins… and an anime called _Hyouka_. Hmmm, the light novel was better.'

He opens the box and puts the disc into the DVD player, then turns on the TV. After the first episode starts playing Hikigaya leaves his teachers room and closes the door.

'The living room and kitchen are clean and Hiratsukas wound is bandaged. I suppose this means I could leave, but if I go then there'll be nothing barricading the door, and anyone could just walk in. So I guess I'll wait till she wakes up.'

He returns to her room and sits down on the right side of her bed, back against the wall and feet forward. Shizuka is on the left side, lying on her back with a blanket covering her.

'Her makeup looks like it's been hastily wiped off, and she's wearing pajamas instead of going out clothes. Perhaps she's been stood up again.'

As the anime plays on the television Hikigaya watches her unconscious body inhale and exhale. The older womans lips are slightly parted and her face is the most peaceful he's ever seen it. Usually when he looks at his teacher she is either speaking or attempting to punch him, if he was to look at her just go about her day she'd call him a stalker or a pervert.

The assassins thoughts are interrupted when Hiratsuka softly says something in her sleep.

"Hikigaya…"

His eyes widen slightly.

'Is she… dreaming about me?'

She speaks again, this time with a more annoyed tone.

"Hikigaya!"

He giggles to himself.

'Looks like I annoy sensei in her dreams as well.'

Hachiman turns his attention back to the anime, and slouches down a bit to get comfortable. He may have to wait a while for her to wake up.

* * *

 **6 Hours later**

Hiratsuka eyes begin to flutter open as she regains consciousness. Her pillow is soft and warm, there's a blanket covering her body and sounds from the television speakers can be heard.

The sleepy woman sits up, rubbing her eyes. Memories from the previous night appear to be blurry, and there's a throbbing pain in the back of her head.

'Looks like I'm hungov- Is that Hyouka playing on the TV?'

She becomes very confused and racks her brain to remember what happened last night.

'Did I put that on? Why would I… What's happening right now?'

The door to Shizukas bedroom opens and Hikigaya walks in holding a tray of food.

"I couldn't find much in your fridge, so you'll have to settle for an omelette and some toast. There's also a hot cup of coffee so be careful when you take this from me sensei."

He walks up to her and extends his arms, indicating he wants the tray taken from him.

'Am I dreaming?' the teacher asks herself as she takes the food from Hachiman and sets it on her lap.

"You'll need to change that bandage later, also the door needs to be replaced."

Hiratsuka looks at her right arm and remembers falling on glass, she then remembers her shoulder being hit with a hammer.

The thought makes her cringe and she clenches her face. After that, some memories come back to her.

'I was drinking a lot because… Shuu stood me up… then I.. heard some people in my living room… and they chased me and I fell… then someone helped me…'

Still not quite sure what's going on she decides the person next to her bed might know something.

"Umm Hikigaya, why are you in my apartment?"

He looks at her with one eyebrow raised.

'Does she not remember what happened last night, how much could she have drunk?'

She notices his expression and raises her eyebrow as well.

'Why is he looking at me like that? Did something happen? If I wasn't feeling so mellowed out I'd be beating him to a pulp right now!'

There is silence for a moment before her student starts to explain the situation.

"A couple of boys from school heard you were out last night, so they came to rob your apartment. When they found out you were still home they panicked. It looked like they were going to hurt you, so I intervened."

She starts piecing everything together.

"After I got them to leave, you pointed a knife at me, then you fainted. I carried you to your room and bandaged your wound. I also cleaned up the mess they made and pushed a couch against the door to keep it closed."

"Thanks." Hiratsuka says under her breath as her face reddens.

'He stayed with me all night? Should I hit him or thank him properly?'

"It's no problem sensei."

The teacher cuts off a piece of the omelette and eats it. With a mouth full of food she tells her student it's good.

"Food tastes better when you don't have to work for it."

'He's right.' She thinks to herself.

Shizuka isn't the "savouring tastes" type, and finishes everything on the tray within in five minutes. She hadn't eaten since lunchtime yesterday and was too busy drowning in alcohol last night to worry about dinner.

After handing the empty tray to Hikigaya, she stands up and heads to the living room. Her pajamas are still warm from the bed which is only contributing to the mellowness she's experiencing.

On any other day, waking up to a student walking around her home would turn Hiratsuka into an unstoppable bullet, but the alcohol and blood loss from the night before has killed any chances of her lashing out.

She looks around her apartment. Most things seem to have been put back into place, but it's clear something happened. The door is wrecked and there are some scratches on the walls and counters.

"Sorry about the cracks on that table." Hachiman walks past Hiratsuka and points to it. "That was me."

She frowns.

'What does that mean?'

He turns around and looks at her.

"I'm going to go now, if you want to call the police and tell them about the intruders you're free to do so, but sensei…"

The 14-year-old bows.

"I ask that you don't mention me, I'm sorry for staying here without your permission bu-"

She cuts him off.

"It's fine. I won't call the police."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I know two of the boys that were here, I'll have a word with their parents."

Hachiman nods and starts to walk towards the door.

"Wait."

He stops.

"Don't go yet."

* * *

 **Notes from me (the author):** Whats up everyone, so this chapter marks the first big story event! I'm pretty happy with all the build-up from the first four chapters and I hope you enjoyed the payoff. Chapter six will be up next week probably! Be sure to leave a review :D


	6. Saviour

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu

Previously on Match Point: After the 3 students from Sobu High panic and attack Hiratsuka, Hikigaya is forced to intervene. Once they are gone, his teacher faints. Unable to leave her unconscious and vulnerable, Hachiman cleans and bandages her wounds. When she waks up a few hours later, he explains what happened and gives her some food. Before he leaves she stops him, what will happen this chapter? Find out!

* * *

"Don't go yet."

Hikigaya turns around and faces Hiratsuka.

"Why?"

Her face turns sour.

"Because… I wanted to thank you properly. You don't have to be so rude."

"Oh really?" He raises one eyebrow at her.

"Yeah, I'll buy you ramen."

The student smiles and waves his hand to the side.

"It's really not necessary sensei, you needed help, so I helped you, I don't need a reward."

Her face gets even sourer.

"Listen Hikigaya, you can take this good Samaritan shit somewhere else, you did a nice thing for me and now I'm going to do a nice thing for you, fair is fair. You're not getting out of this."

'Where did that sudden fury come from? Is this woman bipolar?'

"Alright, I'll let you get me ramen, if that will calm you down."

The teacher folds her arms and laughs.

"I'm in fact very calm Hikigaya."

Her expression doesn't show it.

"I'm going to take a shower, after I'm done, we can leave then I'll drop you off at home."

"Alright."

She turns and walks towards the bathroom but stops abruptly.

"And Hikigaya, if you try and peek, I'll peel you like a grape." Hiratsuka raises her first and gives him a devilish look.

His usual uninterested expression does not change.

"Sensei, don't get that bandage on your hand wet or you'll have to change it."

"I am not stupid, I know not to get it wet!"

He nods.

"Good."

There is silence for several seconds before Shizuka walks away.

Hachiman, now alone, sits down on the living room couch and takes out his phone. It's almost half past six and the sun has started to rise. Light beams shine through the curtain material and the air is musky.

" _1 new message."_

Tapping the notification reveals it to be from Hiratsuka.

" _Hey, what's up :D" – sent 20:28_

'Did she message me last night?'

He closes her chat and walks over to the broken door. The students really did a number on the lock by kicking it.

'There is a furniture store at the nearby mall, she should get a new one soon.'

Splinters, large and small, scratch him as he slides his finger down the once working lock. Hikigaya hears the shower turn on in the other room.

'She hasn't been overly hostile to me yet, this is good.'

He strolls to the cracked table and recalls slamming one of the intruders' heads into it. He couldn't injure the boys too bad, just enough to scare them and head injuries usually stop people in their tracks.

'I wonder if they would have actually ended up killing her. It doesn't really matter now, I need to find some paper.'

The whole situation was a mess, from Hiratsukas badgering, to them stupidly revealing their names. Hikigaya was lucky to have been there regardless of if they were going to go through with it or not.

In the other room, Shizuka stands under the hot pouring water considering everything. Showers are usually where she does the most thinking.

'He did a nice thing for me, but is taking him out for a meal appropriate? I've gone out to lunch with Yukino before, but that's because she needed help with her family life. Hikigaya doesn't need anything from me.'

The older woman sighs as she applies shampoo with one hand.

'When I'm done I'll tell him to go home, then on Monday I can give him a "thank you" card! He didn't seem too thrilled about spending more time with me, so this is probably for the best.'

She finishes up her shower and gets dressed, then walks out into the living room.

"Listen, I think it's best if you ju- Where'd he go? Hikigaya?"

Now very confused, Hiratsuka looks around the apartment curious as to where he could've gone.

On her coffee table, she finds a note with a message.

" _See you on Monday – from Hikigaya"_

Shizuka scowls.

* * *

 **1 Year Earlier**

"Haru Kaito is a Japanese arms dealer currently residing in New York. A biker gang in need of automatic weapons has offered to shelter him during his stay and negotiate prices for said weapons. Apparently, a gang war is brewing between the "The Bulldogs" and various African-American groups. Our newest client has had some trouble with these "Bulldogs" and feels them getting armed would cause a lot of issues for his business. Your mission is to break into the biker gangs hideout and kill Kaito. Should you choose to accept, half your payment will be received now and the other half when the task is completed. There is also a bonus sum of money up for grabs if everyone in the building is taken out."

Ryuzaki hands an envelope to Hikigaya.

"What kind of building is it?"

"Four stories high with no elevator. There are ventilation shafts but they've been sealed shut. The target will be on the top floor, meaning you'll have to go through the front door and make your way up."

"Why can't I enter through the roof?"

"The only door on the roof has been sealed off, so you wouldn't be able to get access to the staircase."

"What about extraction?"

"Once you radio in and confirm the mission is complete an unmarked van will pull up by the front entrance and haul you off."

"I accept."

Prep time is short, and within a few hours the assassin is on a plane to the United States of America.

The targets building is studied, and guard patterns are learned. Over the course of 4 days Hachiman plans out a route to the top floor.

This mission will have a lot of hostile force in the way of completion, so you can never be too prepared.

Even now, sitting on a rooftop adjacent from the Bulldogs hideout, Hikigaya goes over every detail of the plan.

'According to my information, once I get past the two guards at the entrance I'll have to go down a hall to my left, then follow it for about 10 metres until I see a staircase. After that, I need to make my way up the staircase to the top floor.'

The gangs hideout is in one of the less desirable parts of New York City, so when it gets late most regular people are off the streets.

After going through his information a few more times the assassin looks at all the tools laid out in front of him. He picks up his karambit knife. The curved blade and handle are perfect for situations where speed and quick thinking decide life or death.

Complimentary to the knife is his gun. It's one of the more silent things on the market, military grade. The in-built suppressor is helpful but not perfect.

Next up his is flash grenade. Excellent for stunning rooms full of people.

There is also a vest laced with Kevlar and a pair of boots with retractable blades.

Hikigaya prefers to pack light for missions, using only the bare minimum. Speed is one of his greatest skills and being weighed down by rifles or swords would only hinder his work.

After finishing his inventory check the assassin decides now is the optimal time to go in. He puts on his body armour, boots, gloves and balaclava. Then he makes his way onto the street and starts walking towards the Bulldogs hideout.

There is a neon sign above the entrance and some windows have been covered with wooden planks. A row of Harley-Davidsons is parked in front, along with four barrels of oil.

The two guards at the front door seem relaxed and are discussing a football game that took place recently.

"All I'm saying is if he wanted his team to come out on top he shouldn't have tried to do everything himself."

"Nah Mickey you don't know what ya- Who's that?"

They notice someone walking towards them dressed in all black.

"Who's this joker?"

"Dunno but I'll tell him to get outta here."

The gang member starts walking towards Hikigaya.

"Hey Buddy, if ya lookin' for trouble I'm re-"

There is a loud pop, then a thud. The scent of gunpowder fills the air.

The other Bulldogs' eyes widen as he processes what just happened.

There is another pop, followed by another thud.

Hachiman pulls out a radio from his belt and begins to speak into it.

"First two guards are down, mission is a go."

* * *

 **Present Day**

Hikigaya walks down the street. It's early Saturday morning and not too many cars are driving around the Chiba area. A couple people can be seen opening up their shops for the day and a few others walking dogs.

'I hope sensei isn't too mad about me leaving without saying goodbye, but right now I shouldn't distract her. She doesn't seem to be taking the situation very seriously and me being there would only distract her more. On Monday I'll make sure she has replaced the apartment door and also spoken to the students parents, if she doesn't then her apartment will be vulnerable while I'm not there and the mission will be severely jeopardized.'

He continues walking, the air is cold and smells damp.

'I can't imagine putting the students down is the best option as it would probably make the news, causing problems for me. I need to do something about them though.'

For the next 30 or so minutes people start filling in the streets. Cars pass more frequently and the morning silence is replaced with footsteps, car engines and bicycle bells.

On the other side of the street, Hachiman sees a light brown-haired girl walking her dog. She's wearing a white turtleneck with a long brown skirt and black leggings underneath.

She has a bright smile on her face and is knelt down, petting the small animal. A car drives by causing the girl to look up. When it passes her and Hikigaya lock eyes.

His gaze is cold and uninterested, whereas the girl looks almost entranced. Even from across the street Hachiman notices the sparkle of innocence in her eyes.

 _ **Click**_

A faint sound of metal hitting the ground rings through the air, along with vibrations rocking the concrete sidewalk. The dog starts running across the street.

'Did the leash come off?'

Hikigayas brain works at light speed and his years of high-risk improvisation cause him to process the situation in under a second.

'The sound of the metal hitting the ground may have been the collar unclasping and the vibrations could be from a car.'

His eyes dart to the left and notice a large black vehicle driving towards the dog.

'Shit.'

The assassin runs towards the animal who is now in the middle of the street and grabs him. The driver of the black car hits the breaks and loud screeching is coupled with the young girls' cries.

Before the car connects with Hachiman he dives forward, still holding the dog. The vehicles screeching stops and a driver gets out.

Now on lying on the sidewalk, Hikigaya is surrounded by people. He didn't get hit by the car, but landing directly on concrete scratched up his head pretty bad, and blood is running down his cheek.

"Is he okay?"

"Did he get hit"

"Should we call an ambulance."

Various voices are heard speaking over each other, prompting the boy to get up.

"It's fine, I'm fine, there is no need to call an ambulance I wasn't hit."

The dog (uninjured) runs towards its owner who is now bawling tears of joy.

"Are you sure you're okay, your head is bleeding!"

Hikigaya wipes the dust off his clothes.

"Really, it's fine."

After repeating it several times and letting the driver know he won't attempt to sue or anything, the small crowd thins, and he sits down on a nearby bench.

'The wound isn't deep, and the blood will dry up soon. Still, I should get it cleaned. I've seen people die from infected cuts, it's awful. The place I'm staying at isn't too far, but the mall is closer. I should probably eat as well. After tha- Why is that girl staring at me?'

The light brown-haired girl stands awkwardly next to the bench holding her dog. When she realizes her pets saviour is aware of her presence she speaks up.

"So… Uh… I didn't get to thank you... during the commotion… so thanks! Really… I don't know what I'd do if I lost him."

He doesn't look at her.

"It's fine."

"Haha, yeah I guess so…" she blushes and smiles nervously. "Anyway, I was actually going to the mall to buy him a new collar, this one's… broken. If you want… I could get you something to put over that cut."

He doesn't say anything.

'I don't have any money on me, and I was going to use public bathroom supplies as to improvise a solution. If I go to the mall with her, I could clean the wound properly. I won't be seeing my target till Monday, so I do have time to kill.'

"Alright, let's go."

The girl seems almost surprised and blushes even harder.

"Really? Okay! Awesome… My names Yui Yuigahama!"

He stands up and faces her, locking eyes.

"My name is Hikigaya."

Once again she looks entranced, with sparkling eyes of innocence that paint a vivid image of the person she is. He just looks bored.

* * *

 **1 Year Earlier**

Hikigaya walks over the two dead bodies towards the metal door. After radioing in that the mission has begun, he knocks twice.

 _ **BANG**_

 _ **BANG**_

The door is loudly unlocked and a man in a leather jacket with a beard walks out.

"The hell do you guys wa-"

 _ **POP**_

Blood splatters all over the wall and his body falls down, joining his fellow gang members on the ground.

The assassin walks in. There is a narrow hallow to his left and a wider one directly in front. At the end of the wide hallway, there is a door. From where Hikigaya is standing, he can hear a lot of commotion behind it, along with music.

'If most of the Bulldogs are gathered in there, I could probably get to the target without problems.'

He turns and starts walking down the narrower hallway.

'1 metre... 2 metres… 3… 7… 10.'

The lights are dim, and leave a yellow tint on the walls. The air is also stuffy, meaning most of the windows are shut.

Hachiman starts walking up the stairs. Every seven or so steps, he has to turn, and walk up the next set.

Despite the stairs being made of concrete, Hikigayas footsteps are silent. He has trained his weight distribution perfectly and is more than experienced in stealth operations. His one hand keeps his gun raised, with the crosshairs aimed directly ahead and the other hand holds the karambit knife.

 _ **TAP TAP TAP**_

'Footsteps.'

Someone is walking down the stairs to the right of Hikigaya. Once he gets to the bottom of the set, the person will turn and see the assassin.

He braces himself.

The first part of the gang member to be seen is the leg.

 _ **POP**_

Right in the kneecap.

He falls down in the space between the sets of steps. Before he can yell, Hachiman swings the karambit, slitting the mans throat.

"Ggg… arrr…"

The large man clutches his bleeding neck as his eyes roll back. Paying no attention, the assassin walks past, climbing the next set of steps.

'That body will be found soon, I need to hurry.'

He sprints up each set of stairs, weapons at the ready. When he reaches the top, Hikigaya finds another wide hall with a bunch of doors.

After walking to the room the briefing stated the target would be staying in, Hachiman knocks three times.

"Jesus Christ… What do these guys want… I said to le-"

As Kaito opens the door he is tackled to the ground and hand is put over his mouth.

"If you attempt to free yourself or scream, I will slit your throat. Blink twice if you understand."

The target blinks twice as a blade gets pushed against his neck. Hikigaya pats the man down, disarming him of his gun and taking some matches from his back pocket.

"Thank you for your cooperation."

With a single stroke of his karambit, Haru Kaito taken out. His body shakes vigorously for a few seconds before becoming limp.

"Hey, someone shot Billy!"

Hikigaya head turns as he hears someone yelling from the staircase, followed by a commotion.

"Go check on the big man!"

Multiple peoples' footsteps bounce off the concrete stairs.

'I've got two guns, 31 bullets total.'

Hachiman laughs to himself as he stands up, facing the other end of the hallway.

Two men turn the corner seeing him. They are holding baseball bats and wearing leather jackets.

'The hallway is 8 metres wide, 20 metres long. This should be fun.'

"Who the hell are you!?"

"What's with the outfit, clown?"

"You chose the wrong night to be a dumbass."

The two men both walk towards the assassin. He too walks towards them.

They are both overly confident.

Hikigaya pulls out the pistol he got off his target and fires off two shots in quick succession. Both gangsters fall down to the ground as blood spills over the floor.

After hearing the shots, six more men turn into the hallway and run towards the assassin.

One of them raises his bat and swings it against the boys' head, but instead of connecting with a skull, it hits a wall.

 _ **CRACK**_

The mans knee gets kicked in, causing him to drop down to ground.

 _ **BANG**_

The shot rings through the hallway as another gangster swings at Hachiman, this time with a metal pipe. Again, he dodges it and fires a shot.

 _ **BANG**_

Two of the remaining four men attempt to attack the assassin at once, but their terrible coordination makes them vulnerable and they topple over each other.

 _ **BANG**_

 _ **BANG**_

One of the bikers swings a knife, but it slides right off the specially designed Kevlar and Hikigaya plants a bullet in the mans leg, then head.

There is still one more guy in the hallway, and no doubt a ton more on the stairs and bottom floor.

The gangster looks around the bloody hallway, then directly at the person in front of him dressed in all black.

 _ **POP**_

Before he can even form a plan, he too is taken out by a bullet to the head.

'The wide hallway was good for a fight, but that staircase is pretty narrow, I'll get overpowered if I go down there.'

Hachiman pulls out his flash grenade, clutches it and removes the pin. He then throws it down the staircase before backing away quickly and covering his ears.

A loud bang goes off and a bunch of men are left screaming and clutching their eyes. While they are disorientated, the assassin makes his way down the stairs, using his silenced pistol to take each one down almost effortlessly.

By the time he reaches the bottom floor, the steps look almost as if they've been coated in red paint. He opens the door he came in from and walks out.

"Target is down, ready for extraction."

Hikigaya looks around the street and remembers the oil barrels by the bikes. He picks one up and takes off the lid. He then starts pouring it all over the bikes and three bodies out front.

When the barrel empty's he grabs another one and pours a trail from the inside of the building to the bikes.

Right about the time he finishes the van to extract him drives up. Before Hachiman gets in he lights a match and throws it on the oil, setting it on fire.

"Let's go."

The van speeds away, and after about 20 seconds, the sound of a large explosion erupts through the night.

Mission Complete.

* * *

 **Present Day**

Hiratsuka sits down on her couch all alone.

'I can't believe he just left without saying goodbye. I'm going to really scold him hard the next time I see him. I mean it's just so rude, especially since I'm a teacher.'

She looks over at the broken door.

'I need to get that fixed, but I also need to speak to those boys' parents.'

"Maybe I should call the police and tell them what happened."

The teacher sighs. There isn't much she can do since she finished all her work and was banking on the idea that her and Shuu would spend Saturday together as well.

After taking out her phone she looks through her chats. Most of them are just people not replying to her and the ones that do reply just say something simple like "K".

She was never the most popular person.

'Well I can't stay here all day, it's way too boring. I guess I can go to the mall to get a new door. Yeah! I'll go to the mall to get a new door! That's actually a really good idea.'

Hiratsuka stands up and walks to her bedroom. She opts to wear the original outfit she would've worn on her date, since its nicer than what she's currently wearing. After changing clothes, she goes to the bathroom to apply her makeup.

Dolling up her face hasn't ever really been a priority to her and some light makeup is usually enough.

Once she is done, Shizuka grabs her purse and walks down the apartment stairs towards where her car is parked.

'I should also get Hikigayas "thank you" card while I'm there, and also some food, oh yeah and I need more wine.'

On the drive to the mall she continues to add things to her shopping list.

'Some of my photo frames were broken so I should replace them, there were also cracks in the table… should I get a new table? Can I afford a new table? Cigarettes! I also need cigarettes!'

After about 10 minutes of driving, she arrives at the mall and parks her car.

'It's still kind of early so there won't be too many people. If I hurry perhaps I could get in and out within two hours.'

The first place Hiratsuka goes to is the furniture store. As she predicted there aren't too many people, just a few couples perusing the wares.

She sighs and frowns hard.

Watching couples go about their day always puts her in a bad mood.

'They can't go be all lovey-dovey somewhere else? Whatever, where do these guys keep their doors?

She looks around for a bit and eventually finds what she's looking for near the back end of the large furniture store.

'Well which one will fit my frame?'

After realizing she doesn't have the required measurements to buy a door, Shizuka walks out the furniture shop feeling defeated.

'The universe really wants to destroy me lately.'

Next, she goes to a clothing store looking at all the different items for sale. There are jackets, turtlenecks, blouses and basically everything you can imagine, although they are all terribly expensive.

Despite having what she would consider outrageous price tags on all the clothes, Hiratsuka continues to browse.

'Hmmm this may look nice on me… This would also look good… Or maybe this one. So many choices.'

She looks in awe at all the options. Even though she has been to this clothing store many times, she is almost always taken back by the diverse outfits.

'I should buy something, it's probably rude to just look… but what should I get? How can I choose?'

Some teenage girls walk past her.

'Hmm this brown jacket looks nice, perhaps I'll buy this.'

She grabs the jacket then pays for it. After walking out she considers where to go next.

'I could go to get some food, or I co-'

Her thoughts are put on hold when Hiratsuka sees two of her students walking together.

'Is that… Yuigahama and… Hikigaya!?'

* * *

 **Single authors in your area have notes:** Be sure to leave a review and favourite/follow if you haven't yet, or don't do that. Live your life! Also this is unrelated but recently I heard a story of couple meeting on a Mario fanfiction website when they were teens and now they're married, what an incredible tale of love if ya ask me.


	7. Satisfaction

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu

Previously on Match Point: After Hikigaya leaves Hiratsukas apartment, he finds himself saving a girls dog, to thank him she offers to get him a band-aid at the mall, the same mall his sensei has gone to get a door at. What will happen this chapter? Read below to find out.

* * *

"So… we're in the same class, right?"

A car drives past the two students.

"I suppose."

They are both walking along the sidewalk towards the nearby mall.

"That's good… I mean, I think I've seen you around… But you don't really speak much… I guess."

Hikigaya doesn't say anything and the girl's heart begins to beat fast.

"Not that there's anything wrong with that! It's good. I like it."

She blushes and looks to the side smiling. There is silence for several seconds and a few more cars pass.

"So… does your head hurt?"

"It's fine."

"Oh... okay."

The rest of the walk to the mall is quiet. When they arrive, the two classmates go through the parking lot towards entrance four.

Hikigaya looks around at the vehicles and spots a familiar one.

'Is that Hiratsukas car?'

Instinctively he goes into an "in mission" mindset. Even though his current objectives are significantly less dangerous than his usual assignments, he still has to treat each situation with the utmost scrutiny.

"So… we should go to the pharmacy and get you a band-aid first, right?"

He turns his head towards her and nods. The dog is currently walking slightly ahead of them attached to a leash. Even though the collar is broken, Yuigahama has to make do until she can get a new one.

Once they arrive at the pharmacy Hachiman finds the cheapest band-aid and disinfectant then hands it to his companion.

After she pays for it he goes into the bathroom to clean his wound. She sits down on a bench next to the entrance of the bathroom waiting.

'Wow, he's really tough. He saved Sable, got himself injured and then just moved on like it never happened. He didn't even complain once. I was way too scared to even do anything.'

Yuigahama picks up her dog and holds him tightly.

'I owe him much more than just a band-aid.'

Six or so minutes later Hachiman walks out the bathroom, now with a fresh plaster covering the side of his head. Yui stands up and smiles.

"Haha… You look a lot better without blood on your face."

Hikigaya ignores her compliment and bows.

"Thank you for your help, I appreciate it."

The brown-haired girl is caught slightly off-guard.

"Oh no… Really it's nothing… You saved Sable so you've earned it… Not that I wouldn't have helped you anyway… Umm..."

She begins to stutter and her words stop being comprehensible.

"I understand." Hikigaya interrupts her rambling.

"Oh, that's good then… So… I guess… Anyway…Since we're at the mall… would you like to get some food…"

As she finishes the sentence Yuigahamas face goes red.

'TOO BOLD! TOO BOLD! HOW COULD I ASK THAT?!'

"Sure."

His answer shocks her even more.

"Oh… really? Umm… Okay… Yes!"

After she recovers from her anxiety, Yui and Hikigaya walk off towards the food court.

"So… Is there something you want in particular? To eat I mean?"

"Anything is fine."

"Do you like ramen?"

"Yes."

"Oh I do too! We can have that… I guess."

"Sure."

They walk in silence for a few minutes before Hikigayas eyes lock with someone exiting out a clothing store.

'Hiratsuka.'

* * *

 **3 Months Earlier**

A large green United States Military plane flies over Afghanistan. Inside the plane, a man in camo kneels down next to Hikigaya who is looking over a map.

"You've already been briefed right?"

He has to yell over the loud plane engine.

"Yes."

"Good. So we're dropping you down right over here…" The man points to a specific place on the map. "Then you'll have to make your way through this area over to here." Once again, he moves his finger to the place in question. "The hostage is being held in this building by multiple Al-Qaeda members. Once you secure him, you'll need to get him over to this area, where we'll have a helicopter extract you."

"The briefing stated I'll have a partner for this operation."

"Yeah, another Japanese guy, he goes by the name Black Tiger or something like that. He's currently speaking to his handler."

"How long till the drop?"

The man looks at his watch.

"Probably about 20 minutes, so get ready."

The soldier leaves as Hikigaya stands up and walks over to a crate. Inside is a karambit, silenced pistol and his usual basic artilery. He quickly puts on his gear and waits patiently.

'I don't usually work with other people on missions. If this person slows me down it may cause problems, however I doubt my client would hire some amateur. They no doubt have a lot of experience, probably more than me. I'll have to wait and see.'

A few minutes later the man in camo and someone with the same gear as Hachiman walk in.

"This is the Black Tiger, say Hi."

The two assassins are both wearing helmets with goggles.

"Hi." The 13-year-olds words are cold.

"Hello." His newest partners words are even colder.

"You guys can get to know each other another time, you're getting dropped off in about two minutes."

The soldier turns his back to them and takes out a radio. After saying a few words into it, a large barn-sized door at the back of the plane starts to lower down, revealing the blue skies.

Due to the altitude, the wind is fierce and all three of them have to hold onto something as to not get pulled right out.

"You both ready?!"

They nod.

"Alright. Jumping in three… two… one… GO!"

Hikigaya and his partner sprint towards the large opening, before jumping out the plane. They both dive down through the air moving at a breakneck pace.

The ground below is covered by clouds and air is roaring even louder than it was in the plane.

Eventually they pass through the clouds revealing the snowy terrain. After freefalling for about a minute the two trained assassins look at each other and nod.

Both their parachutes pop out and Hachiman and the Black Tiger glide down towards the landing zone.

It doesn't take long for them to land. Once they are both on the ground they remove the skydiving gear and throw it all to the side.

"You good?" Black Tiger asks in Japanese.

"Yeah."

"Then let's move."

* * *

 **Present Day**

Hiratsuka and Hikigaya lock eyes. Even through the crowds walking by they recognize each other almost instantly. The two stare at each other for what feels like several hours, when in reality it's only a few seconds.

"Hey… What are you looking at?"

He turns his head towards Yuigahama who is tugging on his sleeve, then turns his attention back to his teacher who is now walking towards them.

The young girl looks around and too sees her sensei.

"Hiratsuka-sensei! Good morning!"

She basically yells this, causing a few passer-byers to turn their heads and look at her.

When the older woman is within speaking distance she greets them as well.

"Good morning Yuigahama… Good morning Hikigaya."

Hiratsuka looks at the female student kindly, but when her gaze shifts to the male one, her right eye twitches from what appears to be pure rage.

"Hi."

Hachimans hands are in his pocket, and his back is slightly slouched. He doesn't look very interested in speaking to his teacher which only makes her anger rise.

'So he ditched me for a classmate! How dare he not tell me he was involved with a girl, I thought he was some loser loner but in reality, he is nothing but a player! I have misjudged this boy!"

"Umm, sensei are you okay?"

The question is prompted by Shizukas face. Her twitching eye and evil grin are enough to alarm anyone.

"Yes, Yuigahama I'm fine. It's nice to see you, but I don't want to impose on your... date, so I'll just be off."

As the word "date" escapes her lips, both Yui and Hikigayas eyes widen.

"Oh no… No… It's nothing like that sensei!"

"It's okay Yuigahama, don't worry about it, I know it's none of my business what you… or Hikigaya do out of school."

"Oh no really… It's no-"

The light-browned haired girls poor attempt at an explanation is interrupted by a new party.

"Sensei?"

The teacher and two students both look to the side and see a dark-haired girl standing in a white sundress. There is also a long red ribbon in her hair.

'It's the girl from the club Hiratsuka wanted me to join.'

'What is Yukino doing here?' Shizuka asks herself.

'Who is this girl? She's so pretty!'

When Yukinoshita realizes all three of them are staring at her she backs away slightly.

Noticing this, Shizuka breaks the silence as it's not every day a student like Yukinoshita approaches her.

"Hello Yukino! How are you?"

"I'm superlative. What are you doing here with that boy?" She looks sharply at Hachiman.

"Oh no, I'm not with him." The teacher responds almost giggling.

"He's with me!" Yui corrects as she smiles widely.

"And you are?"

The dark-haired girls question comes off extremely hostile causing Yuigahamas usual bubbly personality to regress into a shyer one.

"Yuigahama helped me after I almost got hit by a car, so don't be so rude to her." Hachiman says as he eyes Yukinoshita.

"You almost got hit by a car!?" All Hiratsukas rage disappears and genuine worry can be seen in her eyes. "Are you okay?" She reaches for his head to see for herself.

"Yes, I'm fine." He says as he nudges away her hand.

Yukino puts a few pieces together and realizes the person her driver almost hit on the way to the mall must've been Hikigaya.

"Of course you were the idiot that jumped into the road, I should've realized sooner. Who else would be that stupid?"

He rolls his eyes.

'I've already cleaned my wound, so I guess this would be a good time to go. This girl did say she would buy some food, and I am kind of hungry, but that can wait.'

Hachiman raises his hand waves it to the side.

"I'll be going now."

Yuigahama grabs his sleeve and pouts.

"But why?"

"Thank you for the band-aid, but I'm not really that hungry, it's probably best if I go home, plus it appears Yukinoshita would like to speak to sensei."

Yukino smiles and speaks directly to Hikigaya who is now slowly walking away.

"How magnanimous of you."

Yui, who is now feeling extremely awkward begins to walk away without saying anything, leaving Yukino and Shizuka alone together.

"Sensei, would you like to get some ramen?"

Hiratsuka sighs as she watches her other two students trail off in different directions.

"Yeah, sure."

* * *

 **3 Months Earlier**

Hikigaya and his partner walk through the abandoned Afghanistan town. Most of the buildings have been destroyed and snow has covered all surfaces.

The Black Tiger walks slightly ahead, rifle aimed forward, with Hachiman covering their sides and back.

"Is this your first time doing a military operation?"

The question is whispered, but due to the subdermal implant they both have, Hikigaya can hear his partners words crystal clearly in his earpiece.

"Nope, you?"

"Yeah."

The snow below their feet makes cracking sounds as they step on it.

"The soldier from earlier referred to you as a male, but that's not correct is it?"

A cold wind pushes some scrap metal past them.

"Does it matter?"

Hachiman looks at his partner and waits a few seconds before answering.

"Nope."

They continue their trek along the desolate road.

"So, you're an assassin as well?" the Black Tigers words are cold as usual.

"Yep."

"You'd think the U.S military would send their own troops for missions like this."

"We're expendable."

"I guess."

They walk for several minutes in silence.

'Looks like we're about a kilometre away from the building the targets being held in, meaning hostiles will become more frequent right about now…"

Hikigaya whistles to his partner and holds up one finger. She nods.

The sound of snow being crushed disappears as they make their footsteps inaudible.

Not too far away, two men stand speaking in their native tongue. They are both holding Ak-47s and wearing balaclavas. The robes around their bodies are thick due to the cold climate.

 _ **TAP**_

A can rolling by causes one of the men to turn around, facing his back towards his peer.

He looks around for a few seconds gun raised. While he is distracted Hikigaya comes up behind the other soldier and silently slits his throat with the karambit knife.

When the other man turns around he sees the body and jumps back. Before he can yell or react properly the Black Tiger presses her knife up to his neck and kicks the back of his leg in, causing him to drop to his knees.

In Pashto she begins to question the man while Hikigaya disarms him.

"You are holding an American hostage, give me information."

"Screw you, infidel!" He spits at her partners shoes.

Black Tiger takes the knife at stabs it into the side of his thigh. Her hand covers his mouth as he screams in agony.

"Information."

After several seconds pass she turns the knife. He screams again.

When it is made clear he will not say anything to help the mission, she slits his throat. The two men's blood stains the snow as both assassins move on towards where the briefing said their targets building is located at.

Once it is in sight, Hikigaya and the Black Tiger both duck behind a wrecked car.

"It looks like there are about eight guys walking around the building, their patrols appear to be random."

"Do you think we can sneak past them."

"Maybe." His answer doesn't sound too confident.

"How many grenades do you have on you?"

"Six."

"Give me one."

He removes one of the frags from his belt and hands it to her.

"You ready?"

After he nods, she pulls the pin and tosses it towards a car across from the building they're attempting to infiltrate.

A loud explosion erupts through the air and the ground shakes a little. The soldiers surrounding the building dive for cover and wait about two minutes before relaxing.

They all group up and walk towards the fiery car, guns raised.

"Why'd it explode?"

"Who knows, maybe it was broken."

As the eight men argue about what happened, Hikigaya and his partner sneak up behind them and unload their silenced rifles into the men's backs.

Once all of them are down, the two assassins start walking towards the building entrance.

* * *

 **Present Day**

Hiratsuka watches as Yukinoshita silently stirs her bowl of ramen. They've hardly exchanged any words since they broke off from Hikigaya and Yuigahama.

"So, Yukino, how are things at home?"

The young girl continues to play with her food.

"It's fine."

As a teacher Shizuka can see clearly that Yukino wants help with something but is too prideful to ask.

"I know we haven't spoken properly since last year, but you can tell me if it's still really bad."

"I said life is satisfactory, my father arranged for me to live alone. So I don't have to see my sister or my mother as much."

The teacher sighs, then puts some food in her mouth. Still chewing, she begins to speak again.

"You know Yukino, I think your problem right now isn't your mother or even your sister. I think your problem is the fact that you don't have any friends, you're a loner and you shouldn't be." Hiratsuka swallows the ramen. "Take advice from someone who spent most of their school life waiting for the right friends and the right guy and the right everything. I waited and waited and it never came. Now I'm an old woman, who might never even get a husband. Do you want that fate?"

Despite the serious topic, the older woman's speech is presented with levity as usual. Even Yukino, a cold and serious person, smirks watching her teacher alternate between hungrily gobbling up food and speaking.

"Not particularly, no."

"Good, so try harder to make some friends."

The young girl puts a piece of food in her mouth.

"I don't know if I want friends."

"Trust me, you do want friends. When it comes down to it, being alone may feel easier but it's going to hurt you in the long run. Both you and Hikigaya need to learn that."

Yukino rolls her eyes.

"I have no interest in being friends with him."

"That's what I'm saying! He has no interest in befriending you either! That's why you'd make great friends. Neither of you have any expectations or anything to gain."

"A stagnate friendship doesn't sound much like a friendship to me."

"Those girls from when you were a kid, were always too jealous of you to be friends. Jealous of your money, jealous of your looks, but Hikigaya, wants nothing from you and you want nothing from him. Making you two equal."

There is silence for several seconds.

"Why do you care so much about me and that boy anyway?"

"As a teacher it is my job to care about every student, even the problematic ones like you two."

She smiles at her student, but no smile is returned.

'Hiratsuka helped before, she got Haruno and my mother off my back for a while and everything is fine now, but I'm still not happy.'

She inhales then speaks.

"I'm sorry, perhaps asking you to eat with me was pointless. I came to the mall to buy clothing, I've already eaten. I'm going to go now, thank you sensei."

Yukinoshita stands up and takes some money out of her purse. She leaves it on the table then hurries off before Shizuka can even say anything.

Now alone, the teacher rests her head on the table and considers everything.

'That girl is a mystery, I just want to help her but no matter what I do she has too many walls up, just like Hikigaya. Regardless of what I try they both continue to shrug my off my advice.'

She looks up and around the restaurant. Most of the booths are filled by couples.

'What do I know anyway? Maybe they are right not to listen to me. It's not like I was miss social butterfly when I was in school.'

After sitting head in hands for several minutes, Hiratsuka calls a waiter and pays for the two ramen bowls. On her way out she continues to try and think of ways to help her two most anti-social students.

* * *

 **3 Months Earlier**

Hikigaya, stands guard as the Black Tiger breaks open the padlock on the entrance.

The building their target is being held hostage in, is one of the few structures that hasn't yet been destroyed.

 _ **CLANK**_

As the metal lock hits the ground, both assassins walk-in gun raised. The floor is layered with tiles although most are cracked, the walls also appear to be one hit away from crashing to the ground.

"The building doesn't look too good."

"Maybe that's a good thing."

They continue their trek down the corridors, both on high alert.

 _ **TAP**_

 _ **TAP**_

Multiple footsteps can be heard coming from a corridor intersecting with the one they're in.

"It's crazy that this idiot didn't think to bring the video camera, and then tells us to get it." Four Al-Qaeda soldiers walk down the hall complaining in Pashto.

"I know right? Does he think we are slaves?"

One of them laughs loudly, but as he turns the corner, his laugh his cut off by bullet passing through his head.

The other three jump back in surprise, before seeing a cannister bounce against a wall and land at their feet.

 _ **BANG**_

All their eyes go blind, and a deafening ring causes them to drop to their knees.

While they are distracted by pain, Hikigaya turns the corner and fires a shot into each of them.

"Good work."

"Thanks." He answers, not looking back.

They step over the bodies and press on. Each hallway and room they pass through is dim. Some daylight shines through the broken windows, but for the most part the whole floor is dark.

One level above, loud screaming comes out of nowhere.

'Looks like the hostage is alive.'

Hikigaya and his partner walk around for a few minutes, following the sound of the screaming. Eventually they find a room where the yells can be heard directly above.

Both assassins pull out a block of explosives, placing it on the roof of the room. After that, they set the timers to 20 seconds and back out into the corridor.

Soon after the timer runs out, a large explosion shakes the structure and the roof of the room crumbles. The floor on the room above is also destroyed and twelve men fall down onto the floor below along with a man blindfolded and tied to a chair.

While the soldiers attempt to recover from the shock of their fall. Hikigaya and his partner start putting them down one by one. When all the men are taken care of they rush to the target.

Black Tiger takes out a knife and cuts off the zip ties as Hachiman removes the blindfold and checks the mans pulse. Even though he is alive, it's very clear he has been tortured.

"Hello, we're…"

As soon as the hostage sees Hikigaya face, he freaks out and jumps back.

"Oh shit… no! NO! PLEASE!"

The two assassins look at each other.

"Do you know this guy?"

He looks at the American, then shakes his head.

"You… Y… You're a hitman! Please… I ha… Have a family!"

The Black Tiger begins to laugh.

"We're not here to kill you idiot, we're here to save you."

* * *

 **Present Day**

As Yuigahama walks away from Hiratsuka, Yukinoshita and Hikigaya, she thinks about everything.

'Hikigaya barely said anything to me, he wasn't very kind or gentle and he wasn't interested in anything I had to say, but when Sable got himself in trouble, Hikki dived in without even thinking.'

She looks at her dog who is walking happily ahead of her.

'Yukinoshita was really mean and clearly didn't want me around, she didn't even attempt to be nice for my sake, but I don't think she did it to hurt my feelings or be mean. I think she did because it's just what she wanted to do. Both her and Hikki do things because they want to do it, without worrying about what people think. That's really cool. I wish I could be like them, but I get too nervous when I speak out loud and jumble up my words. Yumiko always makes fun of me for that and it makes me feel bad but I'm still friends with her because sometimes she's nice.'

The young girl sighs as she keeps walking.

'Even in my own head I can't keep my thoughts straight, everything is always so all over the place and it's hard to remember my point. I guess that makes me stupid.'

Sable barks at the pet shop, reminding Yuigahama why she came to the mall in the first place.

'But I didn't feel stupid today when I was Hikki. I felt like I could say what I want, and he wouldn't judge me, or if he did judge me, it would be okay because he wouldn't be doing it to hurt my feelings, he'd be doing it to help me and not himself. I hope I get to spend more time with him and even Yukinoshita! She may not like me at first but maybe I can change that.'

As she enters the pet shop a chubby man in overalls cheerfully strolls up to Yuigahama.

"Hello dear, what can I do for you?"

"Oh… I'm looking for a collar… My dogs one is… broken, I think."

"Sure, right this way."

The selection of collars is massive, there are really big ones, really small ones. Blue, red yellow etc. Some have names on them and some have bells. Yui doesn't have too much money, and decides a cheaper one would be good enough.

After purchasing the item and putting it on Sable, she walks out the store with a smile on her face.

'It's going to be different from now on. I'm going to try to be like Yukinoshita and say what I feel no matter what others think. It'll be hard, but maybe I can do it. On Monday, I'll find Hikki during lunch and sit with him then we can be friends! He doesn't seem to have many friends, and I hardly ever seem him after school, so he's probably not in any clubs either. I can't wait for Monday, it's going to be exciting.'

On her way home she thinks of all the possibilities her new outlook on life entails and how much different and better school will be. Perhaps her view is a little too naïve but she doesn't care because right now, walking home with Sable, she is happy.

* * *

 **Authors Notes:** _Looks like 8man left quite the impression on his classmate. Will her attempt to win his affection possibly jeopardize the mission? Find out next week._


	8. Thoughts

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregiaru

Previously on Match Point: After meeting Hikigaya and seeing how brave someone could be Yuigahama promises to be a brand new better person. In the past storyline, Hachiman teams up with an assassin by the name of "Black Tiger". They successfully find their target, but will they be able to save him? Find out!

* * *

 **Monday**

Hikigaya walks down the busy school hallway, watching as his fellow students run past each other.

'It feels like it's been forever since I was last here. The light novels I read make school out to be more of a background for the characters than anything, or an excuse to have them see each other every day. In reality, school is a very tangible and distracting thing. Balancing this mission with all the work I've been given feels impossible. Dealing with these children feels impossible. Even dealing with Hiratsuka feels impossible. One moment she'll be attempting to attack me, the next moment she'll be trying to give me advice. I swear that woman is bipolar.'

It appears he is in a bad mood.

'According to my briefing, her father is a judge, so you'd expect her to be more concise with her decisions.'

As he walks forward, he notices a student running in his direction. The kid is obviously distracted and will probably bump into Hachiman.

'I could just move out the way, and not get hit…'

The boy gets closer.

'Whatever.'

 _ **THUMP**_

As they connect, the once eager student tumbles down onto the ground. Despite being hit with the same amount of force Hikigaya keeps walking completely unfazed.

"Hey man, what was that for!?"

The boy, now getting up from the ground, looks extremely annoyed. He adjusts his hairband which fell off during the impact.

The assassin turns around and looks at the student. After seeing his cold dead eyes, the boy backs up.

"Listen it's not that serious…" He smiles and waves "See ya later."

After he runs off, Hikigaya continues to think.

'It's lunchtime now, and I'd like to find a quiet spot. Maybe I'll go by the bike racks or the stairs.'

Before he can decide, his thoughts are once again interrupted by someone.

"Hikigaya! Over here!"

He looks around and sees Hiratsuka waving him down, after walking to her, he asks what she wants.

"Yes, sensei?"

Despite his mood, Hikigaya conveys his usual uninterested demeanor.

"Come have lunch in my office."

He raises an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"Just come in."

She grabs his wrist and pulls him from the pool of students in the hallway.

Once they are inside she closes the door.

"Okay have a seat."

He sits down in his usual spot, right across from her.

"Is something wrong?"

The teacher pulls out a small box of food from her bag.

"Not at all, I just didn't want to eat lunch alone."

After begrudgingly taking out his meal, he lets out a long sigh. Noticing this, Hiratsuka takes something else out her bag.

"Don't be such a downer, I got you a gift!"

He looks up from his food and sees she has both arms extended over the table towards him. One of her hands is holding a small card and the other is holding a can of what appears to be coffee.

"Come on, take them."

With his food on his lap, Hikigaya reaches out and takes both items from his sensei.

Inside the card, he finds a note.

" _Thank you for everything ; ) I'm glad you're my student." – Hiratsuka_

He looks up at her.

"What is this for?"

She giggles.

"You know what it's for. On Friday you helped me out more than you needed to, I appreciate. Things got a bit awkward at the mall, but that's not important. You did a good thing, and I still plan to reward you with ramen one day." Hiratsuka smiles warmly at him then winks.

"Did you end up speaking to those boy's parents and replacing your door?"

Shizuka looks directly into his eyes as he questions her.

'Looks like Hikigaya is all business as usual.'

"Yes, I ended up calling the police and telling them what happened. I got a call a few hours later saying that the two boys I identified weren't at their homes. After that I got super paranoid and had one of the janitors at my apartment building measure my door and help me buy a new one. It's all taken care off, there's nothing to worry about."

His uninterested look turns to an annoyed one.

"The situation is not taken care off. Those boys could come back and if they do, I will not be there to stop them. You may think you are-"

She interrupts him and stands up.

"Hikigaya, I said it's fine. The police told me I have nothing to worry about and that it isn't uncommon for people to run away after committing crimes. They'll probably be caught by the end of the week."

After sitting back down Shizuka continues to speak.

"It's touching to know you're worried about me, and if the roles were reversed I'd probably be worried about you too, but I'm an adult. I am not scared of three wannabe house robbers."

His annoyed expression disappears.

'She's still not taking this seriously. I'm going to have to take care of those three myself, before she gets herself seriously injured.'

"Now, Hikigaya, take a sip of that coffee I gave you. My intuition tells me you're going to love it."

* * *

 **3 Months Earlier**

Hikigaya and his partner stand in front the now freed hostage, who has backed himself into the corner.

"You… Y… You're a hitman! Please… I ha… Have a family!"

He looks directly at the male assassin with immense fear in his eyes. It's very clear he recognizes Hachiman from somewhere.

The Black Tiger begins to laugh.

"We're not here to kill you idiot, we're here to save you."

The American looks around at the bodies, then back at the two hitmen.

"R…Really?"

From the floors above tons of commotion can be heard.

"Yes, really, so get up and let's go because those soldiers are about to surround this room."

She walks up to the man and grabs him by his bloody wrist. Then pulls him to his feet. He's taller than both of them.

"Don't try and run away, or do anything we don't tell you to do. Unless you want to die today."

The commotion gets closer as Hikigaya racks the slide of his pistol and starts counting down in his head.

"3… 2… 1"

A man in robes turns the corner and runs into the room, but before he can react, the assassin takes his knife and drives it into the man's stomach, then pulls it out and pushes it into his neck.

The soldier begins to struggle and drops his gun. While he is disoriented Hachiman kicks him out the doorway.

All the men in hall react in haste and start firing their rifles at the body, mistaking it for their true targets.

While the man gets shredded with bullets, Hikigaya pulls the pin of a grenade then tosses into the hall, towards the group of men.

After the explosion shakes the building, the two assassins and American make a run for the exit.

While they run, Black Tiger fires off shots behind them to cover the escape.

As they exit the building two trucks pull up full of Al-Qaeda members.

Hikigaya, his partner and the American all dive behind a large pile of concrete as the men fire at them. The sound of bullets and shouting fills the air, along with a strong scent of gunpowder.

"Shit… Shit… What are we gonna do now?" the target asks panicking. When he sees his saviours are extremely calm, it freaks him out even more.

"It's fine don't worry." Hikigaya pulls a phone out from his belt and starts tapping the screen.

"So you're sending text messages now? We're gonna die and you're se-"

To stop his complaining Black Tiger punches the man in his mouth.

"Shut up." She says assertively.

After several seconds of tapping, Hachiman closes the phone and throws it towards the trucks the men have taken cover behind. Some are firing their guns, and others are reloading. None of them notice the device sliding across the ground towards them.

Holding his sore jaw, the American speaks again.

"Ah… so it's a bomb… smart man!"

Nothing happens for about 20 seconds and he once again panics.

"Wait… wasn't it a bomb? You just chucking things for fun now? I really am gonna die." He starts nervously laughing.

 _ **VROOM**_

From the skies, a large jet flies past the building.

"Put your heads down." Hikigaya says calmly.

 _ **VROOM**_

The jet flies back over them once more, however this time three missiles drop out of it. The men behind their trucks look up in horror as the bombs get closer.

 _ **BOOM**_

As they hit the ground, the cold air warms up slightly. Dust flies everywhere and the American begins to cough.

Both assassins stand up and peek behind the corner of their cover. The missiles wrecked the vans; however, they were designed specifically for precision attacks. Meaning some soldiers may have run far enough away and survived.

Regardless, Hikigaya and his partner take their chance. After grabbing the American, they start sprinting towards the extraction zone.

* * *

 **Present Day**

As the bell for lunch rings, Yuigahamas heart starts to beat fast. On Saturday she made plans to change her life and be a better version of herself. So far everything's gone fine in the sense that she hasn't really needed to change anything.

All her friends and teachers acted the same as usual and it was a very normal day. As far as she was concerned she simply hadn't gotten a chance to act on her new outlook just yet, however now that it's lunchtime, Yui is more than ready to find her dogs saviour and enjoy her lunch with him.

Since they are in the same class, she plans on following Hikigaya out the door, and find the spot he eats lunch in.

As all the students start standing up and packing their things, she patiently watches him. Hachiman slowly unzips his bag and places in his books.

'He looks really sad today, maybe he is in a bad mood.' She thinks to herself.

After about two minutes the class clears out and he stands up to leave. Wasting no time, Yuigahama too gets up and starts walking behind him.

Unfortunately, it only takes a few seconds for him to disappear into the crowded hallway.

'Where'd he go? Is that him? No… Oh no.'

A look of worry clouds her face as she searches the crowd for him. In spite of her efforts, he is still nowhere to be found.

She sighs a long sigh, but soon gets an idea which returns her face to a more cheerful expression.

"Hey do you know where Hikigaya is?" Yuigahama asks a random student.

"Umm who?"

When that doesn't pan out she tries another.

"Have you seen Hikigaya around?"

"Sorry, don't know that guy."

More failure.

Now feeling completely defeated Yuigahama walks off down the hallway, no destination in mind.

'What a stupid day. I can't believe I lost him. I had all these plans, I guess they don't matter now.'

Yuigahama begins to sigh another sigh but is interrupted when a long red ribbon flies past her head. She looks to the side, and sees the girl she met on Saturday walk right past her.

"Yukinoshita!" she calls out without thinking.

The dark-haired girl does not even turn around and keeps walking. Yui trails after her making sure not lose another person in the crowd.

After about a minute of walking Yukinoshita takes out a key and unlocks the door to a clubroom. Once it is open she walks in shuts the door behind her.

Yuigahama stands outside holding her lunchbox. After a deep inhale she knocks three times.

No answer.

Feeling bold, she opens the door slightly and peeks in. She sees Yukino by the window, back facing the door, making what looks to be tea.

When the dark-haired girl turns around she sees Yuigahama peeking and gets startled. She jumps back and the hot cup of tea spills all over blazer and shirt, then all over the ground. The shock coupled with the hot sensation causes Yukino to fall over onto the ground.

Yui quickly runs over to help.

"Oh no! Are… Are you okay? What… Should I do?"

Yukinoshita holds her chest as her face goes red due to her body temperature being raised, however the embarrassment of the ordeal isn't helping either.

"I'm fine just go away please."

The worried girl runs around and finds a towel in the boxes at the back of the room. She then rushes over to her peer and kneels down.

"Please let me… help you." She smiles a nervous smile then presses the towel against Yukinos chest.

Unable to move in her current position, the dark-haired girl continues to protest.

"I already said I'm fine now ge-"

Her words are cut off as they lock eyes. The sheer look of worry on Yuigahamas face completely takes the usual cold and calculated student off guard.

"I… Uh…"

They continue to look at each other as Yui dabs the towel against her wet chest.

"It's okay, let me help you."

* * *

 **3 Months Earlier**

The three of them sprint through the destroyed Afghanistan town. Several soldiers are chasing them but are too far behind to hit any shots, not for lack of trying.

Every so often a bullet will fly past one of their heads, or hit the ground below their feet, however this doesn't deter Hikigaya or the Black Tiger, they are calm as ever. The hostage they have rescued, is less calm.

"Shit! Shit! Shit! Throw more bombs at them!"

"That airstrike was a one-time thing, for emergencies only." Hachiman says as he sprints forward.

"Well this is an emergency! Shit!"

"Just calm down."

"How can I calm down!? I'm running for my damn life from terrorists while two hitmen are dropping bodies everywhere! This is insanity! I've been kidnapped and tortured and put into the back of cars! I'm just a damn Senator! So don't tell me to keep calm!"

The Black Tiger sighs a loud sigh as the three continue running.

"According to the briefing, there is a helicopter waiting right through that forest to extract us, if you shut up we'll probably get there faster, so shut up!" She sounds extremely annoyed as she speaks, it's very clear the Black Tiger has had more than enough of this American.

The three of them soon reach the edge of the town, and run over a collapsed fence into the nearby forest.

'Hopefully we'll lose the soldiers chasing us, being calm right now won't stop any bullets and my rifle is empty.'

Every ten or eleven trees they run past, Hikigaya cuts small line in with his karambit.

'If we do get lost in these woods, those should help us find our way back.'

A bullet hits one of the trees next to them causing some snow to fall off it. The snow ends up landing on the senators head which leads to him tripping and falling over.

"Aaah my ankle!"

He hovers his hand over his foot as he screams in pain. Another bullet flies the past them.

"Get up we have to go." Hachiman attempts to grab him, but the man protests.

"I can't go anywhere, it's probably broken!"

"It's not broken, idiot."

She grabs his arm and lifts him to the ground, then looks over at Hikigaya.

"I'll carry him to the extraction, you slow down the men chasing us."

Her partner nods and they hurry off in different directions.

Hikigaya quickly climbs up one of the trees, then starts leaping between them. He jumps through about twenty trees before seeing the group of soldiers. They all have their Ak-47s raised, and are on high alert.

Being above them gives him a significant advantage, however there are only so many he can take down before he gets overpowered.

He silently pulls out his karambit knife and readies for battle. As the men slow down he leaps from the tree and drops onto one of them, sliding the knife directly into the man's throat. Without hesitation he rolls off the body into two other men knocking them over.

While they are distracted he pulls out his pistol and fires three shots. After three bodies hit the ground, he picks up one of the Ak-47's and fires into the men he knocked down.

'That looks like all of them.'

His eyes dart from left to right, making sure. Once he is certain, Hachiman starts to run towards the extraction point.

* * *

 **Present Day**

Hiratsuka watches eagerly as her student takes a sip of the drink she gave him.

Hikigaya raises the can to his lips, then takes a gulp of the coffee. His eyes widen, and he takes another sip.

"This is amazing."

She smiles widely.

"I knew you'd love it."

He looks at the label of the can, and sees it says MAX Coffee. It only takes him a few minutes to finish the can, and he immediately craves more.

"Thank you sensei, this drink is really good."

"Don't worry about it. Now eat your lunch! I don't want fainting from exhaustion later."

He laughs to himself. The drink clearly helped his mood.

"Okay sensei."

Both he and Shizuka quietly eat their lunch as the time moves on. Occasionally they'll look at each other, or even lock eyes, but for the most part their lunch break is uneventful.

Once he finishes his lunch, Hikigaya looks around her office. He once again notices the chrysanthemums. Next to them, is an ashtray. Appropriately it's full of ash and cigarette ends.

If it wasn't for the flowers, the smell of tobacco would no doubt fill the room, and if it wasn't for the school rules, the smell of alcohol would fill it as well.

He looks over at Hiratsuka, who is still eating. As usual, she takes big bites and chews faster than she should. Occasionally she'll grab her water and start chugging that down as well.

Some may find her way of eating disrespectful, but Hachiman finds it quite endearing. Despite the fact he's been sent to extract negative information about her family and then kill her, he does like his sensei somewhat, and it's more than clear she likes him despite sometimes being a little mean.

After a few more bites, the teacher looks up and notices him staring at her.

"What are you looking at Hikigaya?"

His face has a bored expression.

"You have food on your mouth."

She blushes and wipes it away.

"Thanks."

"You know se-" Before Hikigaya can finish his sentence, someone knocks on the office door, then walks in.

"Hiratsuka-sensei, sorry to both- Who are you?"

The blonde-haired boy raises an eyebrow as he looks at Hachiman who started packing his things the moment the door opened.

"I'll be going now sensei, thanks for the coffee."

He gets up and walks out without saying anything to the other student. On his way through the door, he turns and looks at Hiratsuka. They lock eyes for a few seconds before he is out of sight.

Now walking down the less busy hall, he looks up at one of the clocks and notices there is still about ten more minutes of lunch.

After standing doing nothing for a few seconds, he starts looking around.

'I wonder if I can find more of that coffee.'

* * *

 **3 Months Earlier**

The Black Tiger moves as fast as possible, trying her best to keep the hostage on his feet, but due to the injury he keeps tripping and falling over.

Regardless, she has to see this mission through, and getting him to extraction is her only goal.

"Hurry up and move, idiot! Do you want to get shot?"

"Stop yelling at me I'm trying my best!"

After about six minutes of running they finally start to see the edge of the forest. Through the trees Black Tiger spots the helicopter pick up along with multiple soldiers.

Soon after she notices them, the senator does as well.

"Oh my god! We're home free! Holy shit!"

They trek the last bit of distance before entering the clearing. Due to the trees surrounding the landing zone, people from afar wouldn't be able to see a chopper, making it perfect for extraction.

The snow below their feet gets less and less as they transition to solid ground. When the American soldiers see them, they raise their guns and start yelling threats, however the man in camo from the plane quickly tells them to stand down.

Not long after, Hikigaya arrives and runs towards his partner. His hands are covered in blood and so is his back.

Once they are settled, the soldier greets them.

"Well done, I knew you could do it."

He turns and calls a man over.

"Get him in the helicopter and strap him down, we're taking this patriot home."

The injured senator smiles.

"Goddamn right!"

The five of them start walking towards the chopper. The first person to get on is the senator, then the other soldier, then the man camo. Once the first three are seated Hikigaya and the Black Tiger start to pull themselves up into the chopper but are interrupted by the man from the plane.

"Oh yeah, you guys aren't gonna like this part."

He raises his foot and kicks the girl in her face knocking her off the helicopter that is slowly lifting off the ground.

She falls down, hitting the concrete hard.

Hachiman realizes what's happening and attempts to use one hand to grab his karambit, however the position he's in doesn't allow swift movements and he is too slow.

The man pulls out a pistol and fires straight into Hikigayas chest which thrusts him off the side of the helicopter.

The fall is short and he soon joins his partner on the cold concrete as the helicopter gets even higher.

"They… Th-"

The assassin attempts to get up and speak, but blood starts gushing from his chest and mouth. Despite many more attempts, he simply can't get any words out.

His head drops to the side and he sees his partner getting up slowly, holding her head. His vision starts to blur, and the excessive blood loss causes him to slowly fade in and out of consciousness.

Even in his dazed state, he hears multiple footsteps approaching, along with various chants in Pashto. Enemies are getting closer and he is bleeding out.

He has one final thought before losing consciousness altogether.

'The Americans betrayed us.'

* * *

 **Present Day**

Yukino stares wide-eyed at Yuigahama, at the moment she is speechless.

"It's okay, don't worry, it's just some hot tea, I can probably clean it off before it stains… At least I hope…"

The brown-haired girls warm smile doesn't waver despite it's clear how nervous she is. Yukinoshita has yet to show any kindness to Yui and she worries the cold Ice Princess might get angry and yell at her.

The thoughts going through the dark-haired girls mind are very different. She definitely remembers seeing Yuigahama on Saturday, right before asking Hiratsuka to eat with her, however she also recalls being nothing short of hostile to the young girl.

'So why is she helping me? What has she got to gain? I have nothing for her…'

"I see you're not s-saying anything… Maybe you're in shock… Oh no… should I get a teacher!"

The naïve girl begins to panic and attempts to stand up, but before she can, Yukinoshita grabs her arm.

"No! It's fine. It's just tea. Nothing serious."

Yuigahama calms down.

"Oh haha! Okay…"

She extends her other arm down to the wet chested girl, indicating she wants to help her up. Instead of taking her hand, Yukino gets up by herself, which makes Yui feel even more awkward.

Now that everything is calm, Yukinoshita realizes just how wet her shit really is.

"I'm going to need to change this."

The brown-haired girl looks at the stain and gets an idea.

"Oh I know what to do!"

In an act of sheer boldness, she grabs Yukino by the wrist and leads them out the classroom, taking her to the girls locker room.

"I have… gym class… like right after lunch break, which means you can borrow the shirt I'm wearing now and I can just wear my gym clothes."

She opens her locker.

"Won't that get you in trouble?"

Yuigahama sifts through her things.

"If any of the teachers ask I can… tell them I spilled tea on myself… Knowing me they probably won't question it haha."

"Well thank you, you're too kind."

"Oh no it's alright."

She finally finds her gym shirt and hangs it over the door to her locker. Soon after that, Yui takes off her blazer and starts unbuttoning her shirt.

Yukino looks to the side as her face goes red.

'Must be the tea.' She rationalizes to herself.

The brown-haired girl quickly hands her shirt to Yukinoshita then puts on her gym clothes.

A few minutes later, they are both changed and ready.

"Oh… You look… Good in my shirt!"

"Thanks…"

Yuigahama searches for the things to say, she hates awkward situations.

"So… Uhhh… My na-"

 _ **RING**_

The school bell cuts off Yuigahama, which startles her slightly.

"Oh… Well… Guess class is starting now… So just give that back to me tomorrow… Please."

She smiles and starts to walk back waving. After Yukinoshita nods, the light-brown haired girl runs off, leaving the Ice Princess by herself.

* * *

 **Notes and Authors:** Wow, 8man discovers MAX Coffee, Yukino gets to wear Yui's shirt, and our favourite assassins get betrayed by the U.S military. How will they get out of that situation? Will he find more coffee? What will happen with our two favourite Oregairu girls? Find out next time! P.s more reviews = more frequent updates :) Seriously feel free to say anything, even if its a negative comment! All is welcome.


	9. Decision

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu

Previously On Match Point: Yuigahama attempts to bond with Hikigaya but unable to find him during lunch break, she fails miserably, however she ends up helping the Ice Queen Yukinoshita, who spilled hot tea on herself. Hiratsuka explains to Hachiman what happened over the weekend, and how she ended up getting the door replaced and calling the police. She also explains how the suspects were never found which displeases the assassin, as those boys threaten his mission greatly. What will he do about this? Find out!

* * *

 **Monday Night**

Yukinoshita looks at herself in the mirror. Currently she is standing alone in her bedroom.

'Why did she help me?'

Her eyes are intense and focused directly on the shirt Yuigahama gave her, which Yukino is still wearing.

'Earlier today she showed me a kindness.'

The girl clenches her fist.

'But what does she stand to gain!'

She exhales, then starts unbuttoning the school shirt. Once it is off, she grabs some sleepwear and starts changing into it.

Soon Yukino is done changing, and she heads over to the bathroom to remove her makeup. Despite it only being seven in the afternoon, she has already finished all of her homework and is preparing for sleep.

While entering her bathroom, the dark-haired girl is interrupted by a knock at the front door. It startles her slightly, but she is confident her apartment is safe from any less than desirable people. The security guards make sure of that.

Yukinoshita looks through the peephole.

"Haruno."

On the other side of the door, Yukinos older sister stands with a cocky grin on her face, arms at her side.

She opens the door and the two sisters lock eyes.

"Hello."

If it were anyone else, the younger of the two would be expressing their anger audibly, but this isn't "anyone else" this is her older, intimidating, sibling.

"That's all you have to say to me? We don't speak for weeks and all you say is "Hello"? I'm quite disappointed Yukino."

Harunos smile gets wider, and she walks right past her baby sister into the apartment.

"Why are you here?" Yukinoshita asks as she locks the door.

"Maybe I just wanted to see you, or maybe I just wanted to see my old apartment, to see if you're keeping it in order."

The confident girl sits down on one of the sofas and makes herself comfortable.

Yukino stays quiet.

"I say "Maybe" because it is in fact none of those reasons. I'm here to let you know father is back from his trip."

The younger one sits down.

"Did he… Find what he was looking for?"

"You don't have to beat around the bush you know? This place isn't being monitored, you're not that important." Haruno giggles.

"This isn't a joke. He's been gone for a while... Looking for Uncles killer. This matters a great deal to him, and it matters a great deal to me as well."

"I don't see why it would, Uncle hated our family, wanted nothing to do with what we built. He even went under an alias as to not be associated with us."

Yukino clenches her fist.

"That's not true and you know it."

Seeing that her words are getting to her younger sister Haruno continues to push.

"What did he call himself? It was something generic I think."

"Stop."

"Oh I remember!"

Yukinoshitas fist clenches harder.

"His alias was Haru Kaito." She laughs, "What a dumb name."

"Please stop."

"It didn't help him at all, his reckless nature left him exposed, that's why he's dead and you know it."

At this point the young girl has had enough and is on the verge of tears. This is where Haruno decides to draw the line.

"Well whatever, I do have good news for you Yukino. Father finally came back home because one of his connections got some good information regarding our uncle's death. As you know, a year ago the news reported that it was a strike team that infiltrated his hideout in the USA and killed him and everyone inside, then blew up the place."

Yukinoshita nods as she wipes her eyes.

"According to a friend of a friend, it wasn't four assassins, it was actually one singular person! Pretty crazy right?"

"That's not possible, an entire gang was wiped out."

"That's the crazy part! One guy walked in killed everyone then just walked out. This assassin is extremely high level, meaning Uncle pissed off someone important."

"Then how does father plan on finding this important person?"

"He told me that if he can get into contact with the assassin, he could get him to reveal his employer."

"But he'd have to find the assassin first."

"Father has some powerful connections, I'm confident he'll figure it out."

Yukinoshita and Haruno both smile at each other.

'It's been a year since Uncle died, finally his death might be resolved properly.'

The thought almost brings the young girl to tears. Almost.

* * *

 **3 Months Earlier**

Ryuzaki takes a sip of water. Currently he is sitting in a chair surrounded by U.S soldiers. According to the information he was given Hikigaya and his partner would be arriving soon.

The hanger they are camped in is large, but still small enough to keep secure from any Al-Qaeda members. On top of that, there is more than enough space for a helicopter to land comfortably, making this ideal to get everyone back on the plane, then into the sky.

Sounds of a chopper slicing through the air can be heard in the distance. Ryuzaki notices it immediately.

'Guess they're arriving soon.'

He smiles to himself. The years he spent training Hachiman have clearly payed off, and despite knowing he shouldn't feel too emotionally attached, the older man can't help but feel pride every time the lone child he took under his wing completes a task.

'Now is not the time to think about such things. This is a mission, and despite it not being mine, I should still be alert.'

At this point, the helicopter is slowly lowering to the ground, and the once at ease soldiers are now scurrying around preparing the plane for take-off.

Ryuzaki puts down the glass and starts walking towards the chopper. He sees the soldier that contacted him, the target and another soldier.

'Where is Hachiman?'

The older mans eyes dart from left to right, just in case he's missing something, but at this point he's had enough experience to know exactly what's going on.

The man in camo and the senator get off the helicopter and walk towards the hanger. When the man sees Ryuzaki, he smiles and starts walking towards him.

"Yeah, about your asset, I have bad news…"

Ryuzaki looks down and sees the man start moving his hand behind his back. In an instant the older of the two launches forward as the soldier attempts to raise his gun to eye level.

Unfortunately for the American, Hikigaya's sensei is too fast and breaks effortlessly the mans arm. Before the soldiers can react, Ryuzaki grabs his gun and uses the soldier as a human shield, pressing the firearm against his temple.

"AAAAH!"

He screams in pain from the feeling of his bones breaking.

"STAND DOWN! NOBODY SHOOT! Fuck!"

Various soldiers have now surrounded the two men, watching as their superior is held hostage. If they were to shoot they would no doubt hit him as well.

"Tell your men that you and I are leaving this hanger, and that if they attempt anything, I will execute you and then all of them."

The broken armed soldier thinks for a second before making an announcement.

"Nobody shoot! The two of us are going to walk out, do not try anything."

Sweat drips down from his forehead as the two slowly back out of the hanger.

"Tell me, where did you leave those two assassins?"

They get further out the hanger, as the tense soldiers watch unable to intervene.

"I didn't leave them anywhere, they got shot and died, we had no choice."

 _ **BANG**_

"AAAH!"

The man screams in pain once more as a shot is fired off into his right knee causing him to fall down, however Ryuzaki keeps him on his feet, still using him as a human shield.

"Where did you leave those two assassins?"

This time the soldier withholds no information, as he isn't looking to be in a wheelchair.

"We left them at extraction! Coordinates are in my pocket! Please just stop damn!"

He is now drenched in sweat, and his face is blood red. The excruciating pain is likely to knock him out soon. At this point Ryuzaki and the soldier have backed out the hanger and are far away enough for the soldiers to not be able to do anything.

"Thank you for the information."

"So now what, you're gonna ki-"

 _ **BANG**_

Before the man in camo can finish his sentence, a shot is fired directly into his head, and his body drops to the floor.

The soldiers see this and start firing at Ryuzaki, but he is too far away, and they miss. After a few seconds he disappears into the forest. No doubt on his way to find Hachiman.

 **Present Day**

Hiratsuka sits watching her students doing their work. Occasionally she'd glance over to Hikigaya, but for the most part she isn't paying that much attention to what isgoing on around her.

It does make her feel a little guilty, being so absent-minded despite having the weight of educating Japans youth on her shoulders.

'I've already told them everything for today, they just need to work hard, and they'll be fine. I needn't worry.'

She's so used to reassuring herself of things, that it's second nature at this point.

 _ **TICK**_

 _ **TICK**_

 _ **TICK**_

Eventually her eyes wander down to her hand. The glass cut through her skin pretty badly, and it's only been a few days, so the wound is still visible.

The memory of the night has mostly returned. From when she was in her room and heard loud banging on the door to when she held a weapon at the student who saved her.

She looks at Hikigaya, who is doing his work quickly and efficiently as usual. At least he's doing the work _she_ gives him, efficiently. According to some of the other teachers Hachiman tends to not focus.

'We're meeting at my office after school, I'll discuss his grades with him then.'

Feeling a set of eyes on him, Hikigaya looks up from his work and sees Hiratsuka. He looks at her for a second then looks back down to his work.

'I wonder what he thinks about.'

She rolls her eyes.

'Probably pervy things about his sensei.'

 _ **TICK**_

 _ **TICK**_

 _ **TICK**_

* * *

 **3 Months Earlier**

Ryuzaki isn't as fast or strong as he was 30 years ago, but he is still more than capable of traversing a forest.

'American soldiers will be approaching fast.'

He takes a breath and looks around.

'I have the location of the extraction point, but the men coming after me will probably be heading there as well. This area is also crawling with unpleasant locals.'

He looks around once more, before heading off. The terrain is rough, and he has to make sure he can't be easily tracked.

'Walking to the extraction point could take up to an hour, if I do happen to find a vehicle, it would probably draw a lot of attention to me, but the assets might be injured, meaning I need to get there as fast as possible.'

The older man starts to walk towards a dirt road, once he reaches it, he begins to head forward not straying too far from the path.

Not long after, a jeep full of Al-Qaeda members spots Ryuzaki and drives up to him.

Four men jump out yelling threats in their language and pressing the ends of their rifles against his face. His arms remain raised in a surrender position.

"What should we do with him?" one of the masked men asks in Pashto.

"Just shoot him and take his money!" the other man answers whilst making the universal symbol for cash.

Before the instruction can be carried out Ryuzaki jabs a small knife into one of the mens necks, then grabs his Ak-47 and fires into the rest. A few bullets hit the jeep, but it isn't too badly damaged.

He is soon driving along the road towards Hikigayas last known location.

* * *

 **Present Day**

On the other side of the classroom, Yuigahama does her work with a big smile. For her, Monday was almost a complete failure as she never got to eat with Hikigaya, however she did get to help someone. Someone who may not have wanted or even needed help, but that's not important to Yui, because she's one step closer to being the person she really wants to be, an honest person.

'Just like Hikki…' the naïve girl thinks to herself.

She looks over at him and watches him work. It's been a few days since he saved her dog from certain death, and she is eternally grateful for what he did. Yuigahama may never be able to repay him properly, but she's happy to offer her friendship.

'I wonder what he thinks about.'

Yui smiles warmly.

 _ **TICK**_

 _ **TICK**_

 _ **TICK**_

The end of the lesson is nearing and most of the students have finished their work and are speaking softly amongst themselves.

Hikigaya is on the verge of completing his work as well. As he gets to the last problem, he makes his decision.

'Those boys who attempted to harm Hiratsuka-sensei have endangered my mission. I have no choice but to find them and end them.'

He stands up and walks over to his teachers' desk, handing her the work. She smiles at him, he doesn't smile back.

* * *

 **Authors Notes and the like:** _Wow its been what like two months since an update? Im the bloody worst! Well heres a new chapter, I'll try and update more frequently! Be sure to leave a review it makes me want to write new chapters 100% more. I hope everyones enjoyed the last few chapters tho because a lot has been buildup, chap 10 will hopefully pay off! Thanks for reading!_


	10. Questions

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu.

Previously on Match Point: Hikigaya makes the decision to eliminate the boys who tried to rob Hiratsuka and tie up the loose end once and for all. Yukino is faced with new information regarding the death of her uncle Haru Kaito (one of Hikigayas old targets) ,and in our timeline from 3 months earlier Ryuzaki gets closer to finding the missing assassins who were betrayed and left for dead by the Americans.

* * *

 **Tuesday Night**

'Before attempting to rob my target, the boys spent a significant amount of time in two places. An empty warehouse and a park near to it. According to some information I found online, that warehouse specifically, doesn't get any imports this time of year, making it pretty much locked down. The boys entered through a big hole in the buildings wall that was being covered with some plywood. According to my target, after she called the police about the incident, she was told that the suspects were unable to be apprehended as they weren't at their homes. I already checked the park, and they weren't there, which leaves the warehouse.'

Hikigaya exhales as he watches the three boys sitting in a circle around a small fire. They are in the middle of the large empty building visibly shivering.

"We need to get food."

"Shut up, you know we can't."

"I want to go home."

There is no energy in their words, and they are speaking as if they'd had this discussion a thousand times. Hachiman is too far away to hear their weak chatter, although he wouldn't be concerned with their well-being even if he did.

* * *

 **3 Months Earlier**

Hikigayas eyes start to flutter open, but in his dazed state everything feels numb.

'Footsteps everywhere.'

The sound of a gunshot rings loudly in his ears, but it is soon replaced with the sound of coughing.

The coughing gets louder and more frequent, causing the assassin to wake up even more. He sits up quickly and attempts to grab his karambit.

'Where is it… WHERE IS IT!'

He panics as he can't find the weapon and begins to move frantically. The young assassin turns his body over to get up but instead rolls over to the side and falls off a bed and onto the floor.

He starts coughing again, and feels a sharp pain in his right shoulder. He cringes and looks around.

'Americans, shot me, kicked me off a helicopter, footsteps. What is going on? Have I been captured?'

The room he is in, is small and looks like it has been ransacked. Cupboards and shelves have been knocked over and the wallpaper has started peeling off in large chunks.

Hikigaya stands up and walks out the door, which leads into a larger room. At the end of a room, the assassins partner Black Tiger is sitting at a table with her head in her hands.

"Where are we?"

The question is straight the point.

"Apartment building, not too far from extraction."

The answer is equally blunt. Neither of them are fond of small talk.

"We need to get out of here and find a vehicle, my handler Ryuzaki, is waiting for us where the plane was supposed to take off."

Black Tiger sighs.

"That's not possible. After you were shot, a bunch of hostiles were closing in on our position, so I carried you here. They've now surrounded the building and are probably camped in the hallways. The only reason they haven't attempted to breach this room, is because they don't know that my guns have no bullets left."

* * *

 **Present Day**

Yukinoshita sits by herself, alone in her living room. Her television is on, however she fails to hear anything coming from the speakers, as she is deep in thought, completely cut off from everything around her.

'Yesterday Haruno came here and gave me great news, my uncles killer, may be found. Even so, I don't feel happy or positive or even better. I feel worse than ever. Why am I feeling this way?'

She closes her eyes tightly and unintentionally thinks back to Yuigahama helping her after the hot tea incident.

'Why did she help me, I just don't understand!'

The young girl lies down on the couch and looks at the television. The news is on along with the time.

'Ten past eight.'

Soon her mind drifts onto one of her teachers, Hiratsuka-sensei.

'I wonder if she's awake.'

It was just under a year ago when Yukinoshita poured her heart out to her teacher and explained everything going on in her life and everything she was feeling. It was the first time she'd ever genuinely opened up to someone, and it helped her a lot, however she did feel great shame after it and made sure to never do such a thing again.

'Maybe I should go see he-'

Her voice cuts off her thoughts.

"No. That's not an option."

Despite her firm words, the painful emptiness in Yukinos stomach makes her question the decision she made way back when and whether or not speaking to Hiratsuka about it would be the worst thing.

'With all the new information about my uncle that's come to light, it would be good if she knew, since I told her about his death and how I felt, it wouldn't be right if I didn't follow up on that information.'

In an instant she is standing up and heading to her bedroom to get dressed. In truth, all Yukino needed was a flimsy excuse to justify her desperate urge to tell someone about what happened.

Not long after she is standing in the elevator extremely nervous, on her way to see her teacher.

* * *

 **3 Months Earlier**

Ryuzaki, now with a vehicle, makes his way towards Hachimans last known location. The possibility of the two assassins being dead is quite high when you factor in the location, local military and also the Americans.

This information would send a lot of people into a panic, but Ryuzaki is calm as ever. Even so, there is a lot to consider, for instance: If the assassins are still alive but are injured, will he be able to perform adequate medical care? Furthermore, if they aren't there, then the American soldier who orchestrated this mission, was lying to Ryuzaki and gave him a false location, or Hachiman and his partner have been captured by locals.

'If they've been captured, and moved, they could be anywhere. Alternatively, they themselves could have changed locations.'

With tons of possibilities, the older man has to consider them all and formulate plans and contingency plans accordingly.

After a few more minutes of driving, he arrives near the location he was given.

Since he is on a road and the first extraction point is in the middle of a forest, Ryuzaki ditches the vehicle. After a trek through the icy trees, he arrives in an open area that would be perfect for a helicopter take off.

'No sign of the assassins.'

He looks around, seeing a few bodies lying still. Most of them have been shot in the head, although a few have chest wounds.

In the middle of the open area there is a pool of blood, and right next to the blood, is an item of great interest to the older man.

'Hachimans karambit.'

He picks it up and examines the scene further.

'Seeing as there is only one pool of blood in this area, it appears one of the assassins was hit, probably badly. Then their partner would have had to carry them away.'

Looking to the side Ryuzaki finds a trail of blood, starting near Hachimans karambit and leading into the forest.

'If one of them was injured and bleeding, they probably didn't have time to cover up the tracks they left behind.'

Without hesitations he begins to follow the trail, deducing it would lead directly to the assassins.

* * *

 **Present Day**

Yukino soon finds herself in front of her teacher's apartment building. She inhales and exhales, stalling for time as she reconsiders her decision.

'Maybe doing this isn't the best option. I could hire a therapist to listen.'

The young girl turns around and faces the street. Then turns around again and faces the building.

'No, I want to tell Hiratsuka-sensei about the new developments in my life. I would be going against my own wishes to not tell her.'

The battle of her brain versus her heart is seemingly endless, and Yukino feels every second of it.

Hesitantly, she begins walking towards the entrance. Soon she is standing right in front of Hiratsukas door. For some reason, the door looks different than the last time she was here.

 _ **KNOCK**_

 _ **KNOCK**_

 _ **KNOCK**_

'Three knocks is appropriate. She may be asleep, so if there is no answer, I will have no choice but to lea-'

Before Yukinoshita can finish making excuses in her head, the door opens.

"That was fast." She says to her teacher in place of a formal greeting.

"Yukino? What are you doing here." Hiratsuka asks, tilting her head slightly. The older woman is wearing the same clothes as she was during the school day.

The student inhales.

"I came to speak to you about something."

Hiratsuka notices how stiff and straight forward she's being. Even more than usual.

"Would you like to come in?"

The teacher opens the door and moves to the side, indicating the young girl is welcome to enter.

"Yes, thank you."

Yukinoshita walks in, and stands in the middle of the living room.

'Something seems out of place.' She thinks to herself.

"You can sit down Yukino, make yourself comfortable."

She does as her teacher says and sits down on one of the sofas, across from Hiratsuka.

The faint sound of shonen anime can be heard coming from the bedroom, making it pretty clear what the older of the two was doing before Yukino arrived.

"So tells me, what's up?"

After a silence. The school girl finally speaks.

"Do you remember last year, when I told you my uncle died."

"Yes of course."

"Well, as you know the case was never properly solved, but recently Haruno came to speak to me and it looks like that might change."

The teacher's curiosity is peaked, and she leans back, offering a warm look to her student.

* * *

 **3 Months Earlier**

Hikigaya searches the apartment for anything him and his partner can use to get out of this building. While he does this, Black Tiger continues to sit quietly.

'Draws are empty, shelves are empty, bedrooms are empty. When this building was wrecked and looted, everything even slightly useful was taken.'

As Hachiman assess' the situation, and his stress level grows, the agonizing pain of a bullet wound in his shoulder eats away at him.

'If I can just find a knife, or even a fork. Anything would be good. If men are camped in every hallway, then we'll need to fight our way-out hand to hand and pick up rifles along the way, but the risk of getting shot as we leave this apartment is too high.'

He walks over to a window, and peers through the broken glass. The building they're in isn't massive, but you can see quite a bit of the destroyed town. Debris and rusted metal litter the broken roads and vegetation has started to grow in various places.

After looking outside for a few minutes, Hikigaya sighs deeply, the grabs a piece of broken wood from the floor and smashes it into the window, causing some large shards of glass to fall at his feet.

Hearing the noise, Black Tiger gets up and walks over to the room her partner is in. It doesn't take her long to figure out what he's doing.

Not long after both assassins stand readily at the door to the hallway, both armed with a sharp piece of glass, and holding it with some ripped off materials from their outfits. Before taking any action, they both resign themselves to whatever fate their actions may lead to.

"1, 2… 3!"

They kick the door open from the inside causing it to fly out into the hallway. Within seconds it is ripped apart by gunfire. Loud chanting begins and the men charge to the apartment.

As the first man enters, Hikigaya whistles at him from one side of the door way. When he turns and aims his gun, Black Tiger drives the shard of glass into his neck. She then uses him as a human shield firing his gun from under his arm into the hallway of man also charging towards them.

The ones fast enough to get to cover, silently formulate a plan to pretend like they are retreating and then catch the two assassins off guard.

Hikigaya and his partner grab guns and ammo off the bodies, and prepare to rush the hallway, however before they can act, shots start ringing through out the lower floors of the building.

The shots get progressively louder and infrequent.

'Someone's coming through the building.'

The men who originally planned to ambush the two assassins have there attention diverted to the staircase as an old man turns the corner.

 _ **BANG**_

 _ **BANG**_

 _ **BANG**_

 _ **BANG**_

The building goes silent, and both Hachiman and Black Tiger ready there weapons for what's about turn the corner.

'Could be the Americans back to finish the job.' Black Tiger thinks to herself as her eyes stay glued to the sights on her new rifle.

A few seconds pass, before the man turns into the hallway the assassins are standing in. When he sees they both have their guns raised at him, he raises both arms.

"I surrender."

The sarcasm in his voice is more than obvious.

"Ryuzaki." Hachiman says out loud as he lets out a sigh of relief.

* * *

 **Present Day - Back at The Warehouse**

"No, this is all a waste of time. What are we doing here? We're gonna starve to death, or die of the cold, or something. We have to go home at some point." The exhausted student puts his head in his hands.

"I don't think you understand that there is no going home, we're going to jail! Prison! Who knows for how long. Is that what you want." The boy looks at his two friends, who are both shivering from the cold.

"I don't care anymore. Going to jail is better than staying here with an idiot like you, who ruined my life. I'm calling my mom, and I'm going home."

The boy takes out his phone, while his friends watch. Despite the attitude the leader of the trio is showing, he too wants to go home.

"Hey I thought I turned my phone off…"

All three of them look at the phone confused. They made sure it was turned off, in case it could be tracked.

 _ **RING**_

 _ **RING**_

 _ **RING**_

Out of nowhere, a blocked number calls the device. They answer.

"H…Hello? Is this the police?"

"No it isn't. The police are the least of your problems right now."

"Wait... what?"

"A highly trained assassin is about three seconds from walking up behind you, shooting you and both your friends in the head and then making it so your bodies are never seen again."

A look of horror clouds the boys face.

"What are they saying, is it the police?" The other asks.

"If you would like to not die today, I'd suggest putting this phone on speaker, and when the assassin announces himself, you tell him the call is for him. If you're quick enough, perhaps he won't shoot you."

"Ass-assassin? What are-"

"Stand up."

All three boys turn their heads away from the phone and towards the person standing about two meters away, aiming a pistol with a silencer towards them.

"I said stand up."

Hikigayas voice is chilling.

The look of horror becomes shared among all three of them as their lives flash before their eyes.

"I'd suggest putting the phone on speaker right about now." The unknown caller advices.

The terrified boy, puts his finger over the speaker button, allowing the voice behind the phone to be heard by all four people in the warehouse.

Hikigaya looks at the device.

'Looks like I'll have to eliminate a witness as well.'

He moves his crosshairs over one of the boys heads.

 _ **CLICK**_

Before he can do anything the person behind the phone speaks again.

"I'd put the safety on that gun back on right now if I were you. We have a lot to discuss."

Hachiman raises an eyebrow, although no one can see it, as a ski mask is covering his face.

"Maybe we should start with the fact that there is a hit squad, about 75 seconds away from the warehouse you are currently standing in. They're all fully armed and ready to kill, however we can avoid that, if you just take this phone, and have a nice conversation with me. You're a hard man to find, and I'd rather not have to find you again."

He looks at the phone.

'75 seconds, huh?'

In an instant he rolls to the side and ducks behind cover as two bullets penetrate the ground he was just standing on.

The three boys see this and start sprinting away. With no regard for anything but their lives, they abandon all there items, and the phone drops to the ground, causing the screen to shatter.

Two men run into the warehouse, wearing suits, armed with pistols in their hands and rifles on their back.

Hikigaya readies his weapon as they close in on his cover.

* * *

 **Authors Note:** _Boom badda bing, hope you all enjoyed this chapter, was lazy for a while. Maybe I'll write a few more chaps this year :D be sure to review!_


	11. Information

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: Yukinoshita finally builds up the courage to speak to Hiratsuka about her uncles death, while at the same time Hikigaya attempts to tie up some loose ends, however before finishing the job he gets ambushed by a mysterious caller and a strike-team. What is their business with the assassin and how will he deal with them? Find out!

* * *

 _ **PSEW**_

 _ **PSEW**_

Two bullets hit ground Hachiman was standing on a moment ago, given their trajectory, its likely his feet were the target.

'Shit, this was unexpected.'

Hikigaya chuckles a little to himself as the two men take position 6 metres from his cover, ready to shoot. One has a well-kept beard, while the other is clean shaven. The suits they wear are extremely high end, as are the guns they hold. Clearly they are professionals.

The warehouse is large, but the big empty containers and machinery offer good cover for all 3 of them.

'Is it possible my mission has been compromised, or is this a coincidence? It's not crazy to think at least one person would be out for my blood, but it sounds as if the person on that phone wants to speak to me more than anything.'

After a careful assessment of the situation, the assassin breaks the silence.

"Listen! I surrender, it sounds like your employer just wants a conversation with me, so I will kick my gun over to you and you'll put yours down, then I'll come out and we can speak, is that good for you?"

The two men look at each other.

"Sounds good." The bearded man responds, lowering his pistol. The clean shaven man does this same, despite being hesitant.

Hikigaya slides his gun around his cover and over to them.

"Okay I'm coming out, don't shoot!"

The two men stare intently at the large machine, covered by a tarp, that the assassin has taken refuge behind, however instead of seeing a man stand up, a cannister is thrown over, hitting the ground and rolling directly towards them.

"GRENADE!" the bearded man yells out as they both dive in opposite directions. It would be reasonable to assume both men have suitable training in situations like this.

While the men are distracted, the assassin leaps out of cover and runs toward his gun, quickly doing a forward roll over it and re-arming himself.

At this point the two men realise they've been played and what their target through was nothing but a distraction.

 _ **BANG**_

 _ **BANG**_

Two shots ring out through the warehouse. Followed by a scream of agony. The bearded man lies motionless, bullet to the head, while his partner clutches his wounded leg.

Hachiman looks over to the cannister on ground, it reads MAX COFFEE, and the contents have spilled all over the concrete.

"What a waste…" He sighs, then turns his head towards the clean-shaven man. The two make eye contact. Hachiman's are dead, showing nothing, where as the man is clearly terrified and in a lot of pain.

Despite the assassin's face being covered by a ski mask, the man lying on the ground has no doubt that someone with such eyes could only have the face of the devil.

* * *

 **3 Months Earlier**

"Ryuzaki…" The relief in Hachimans voice is more than apparent, however before he can say anything the young assassin stumbles down onto his knees, letting out a few coughs.

"He was shot and needs proper medical attention, I removed the bullet and stopped the bleeding, but in these conditions it's probably already infected."

Ryuzaki nods at Black Tiger, and steps over the dead bodies toward them. It's been a few hours since the mission began, and if they don't take action soon then they'd be left vulnerable through out the night.

"I'm fine for now, I can walk. What we need to do is get a vehicle."

"I brought a car along with me, we can use it to drive to the second extraction point."

The three head out the apartment building. On their way down the stairs, Ryuzaki speaks up.

"We should be extra cautious if we plan to infiltrate the airfield. The Americans are likely still there, or perhaps searching for us right now."

"Why, what did you do?" Hikigaya asks curiously.

"Why do you assume I did anything? You guys are witnesses to illegal military operations, it would make sense they want to rid themselves of you."

"So you didn't do anything to provoke them?"

Ryuzaki hesitates before before answering.

"I shot their commanding officer in the head…" Despite the serious nature, the older man is smiling boyishly.

"Good he deserved it."

In a sarcastically wise tone Ryuzaki says "You know Hachiman, killing people is wrong and shouldn't be celebrated."

Both assassins chuckle slightly as they make their way down the last flight of stairs.

"You're hardly one to high-ground me, sensei." Hikigayas reply is equally sarcastic.

Upon exiting the building Ryuzaki, Black Tiger and Hachiman find something rather unfortunate: About 50 soldiers surrounding them guns pointed straight for their heads.

The three raise their arms, this time actually surrendering. The disappointment on the assassins face is immeasurable and his day is most certainly ruined.

* * *

 **Present Day – Hiratsukas Apartment**

"Wow."

The teacher sits staring at her young student at a loss for words after hearing Yukinoshita explain everything.

"Th-That's pretty intense."

"Indeed." Yukino says as she holds the tea Hiratsuka made for her. When she gets nervous, she shivers almost uncontrollably, her teacher knows this and made sure that before Yukinoshita said anything, she had something to counteract the shivers.

"So your uncle was murdered by a hitman, and that's all you know right now?"

"Yes, but I'm confident with this information, my father will find the assassin, once he does we'll know who ordered the hit on my uncle."

The eye contact between the woman and the girl is broken only during blinks.

Hiratsuka sighs, questioning whether or not she should say what's on her mind. On the one hand, the situation is none of her business but on the other, she is a teacher and wants the best for her students and believes sometimes intervening in someone's life is necessary.

"Listen… Yukino, are you sure that finding this assassin is the right thing to do?"

"W-What do you mean?" The young girl gets slightly defensive.

"I mean, the way you described him, it just sounds like this isn't someone who's door you should go knocking on. He's a murderer… A cold unfeeling murderer. Someone with a job like that, someone who chose a life like that, should be avoided at all costs."

"So you're saying I should just forget my uncle and his death?!" Her defensiveness turns to shock and surprise.

"Obviously that's not what I'm saying, but I don't want you to get hurt, I don't want Haruno or anyone in your family to get hurt either. Imagine standing face to face with the man you're speaking about, it'd be like looking into the eyes of the devil himself."

There is a long awkward silence.

"Coming here was mistake, I apologize for wasting your time Hiratsuka-Sensei." The young girl hastily begins to leave but Shizuka grabs her arm, stopping her in her tracks.

"Coming here was not a mistake. I support you no matter what happens, I also don't want you to get hurt ever again. So no matter what action you and your family take, I will always be here when you need me, even if I don't think you are right."

Yukino nods, and Hiratsuka lets her arm go.

"Thank you for your help, but it is late and I need to sleep."

The teacher smiles warmly at her, "You could stay here for tonight?"

The young girls mouth opens slightly.

"I would but, your home is kind of... shabby."

Hiratsukas face gets a look of annoyance and she pushes Yukinoshita straight out the door. "That's not funny!"

The student smiles and waves goodbye as she walks down the hall. The annoyed look on Shizukas face does not waver.

'How could she be so bold as to say something like that to a teacher. Children these days really have no respect for their elders.'

Upon realizing she referred to herself as an 'elder' Hiratsuka heads straight for her cupboard of alcohol, forgetting Yukinos insinuation.

* * *

 **3 Months Earlier**

"If you move you die. We've underestimated you three far too many times now."

Hikigaya, Black Tiger and Ryuzaki comply, if they were to attempt to reach for a weapon they would no doubt be gunned down on the spot.

"You two, on me!" The soldier who appears to be in charge, motions for two others to join him as he binds the wrists of the two assassins and Ryuzaki with zip ties.

"You're probably wondering why me and my men didn't just pop you as you came bouncing out the building, God knows we wanted to. Unfortunately, you killed one of our men, a good man, one with a family. The world wouldn't be right if you escaped punishment through death. So I'll personally see that you get what you deserve, and once you've gotten it over and over and over again. I'll put you in a pitch black hole and listen to you starve to death."

"Sounds like fun." Ryuzaki says nonchalantly.

The American laughs softly to himself, before punching Ryuzaki harder than he's ever punched anyone before. The older man falls over onto the ground as blood begins to leak from his mouth.

"Get them in the trucks, take them to the airfield! After that move them to G-Site, I'll meet you there. Don't take your eyes off them for a second."

The soldiers do as he asks and push the assassins and Ryuzaki into the back of a convoy truck. To make sure they don't try anything are six soldiers, watching their every move.

Not long after the men are all in vehicles, they head out on the road towards the airfield.

* * *

 **Present Day – Warehouse**

Hachiman walks towards the man he just shot in the leg. Not breaking eye contact.

"Please… P-Please… It's just a job… You know how he it is."

He attempts to reason with the assassin however his pleas fall on deaf ears.

"Yes I know exactly how it is, and that's how I know you'll tell me any and everything I want to know about. How does that sound?" His voice is low and authoritative.

"R-Really, I know nothing, the guy you sh-shot, my partner… He handled everything, I'm just backup in case shit hits the fan… This is my first time d-doing something... Like this..." Blood now covers the mans forearms as his clutches his bleeding leg, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Tell me what's your name?"

"Rorona…"

Hachiman smiles, though it goes unseen. He looks over to the phone lying on the ground and walks over to pick it up.

"Hello? Who is this?"

The voice behind the phone responds instantly.

" _I take it you killed one of the men, very impressive."_

"Hardly."

" _You're modesty is admirable but in your line of work it seems unnecessary."_

"I have your man Rorona, you don't seem like the type who cares whether he lives or dies, so I'll be sure to dispose of him properly once he's of no use."

" _Once again, that's very admirable, but perhaps it'd be easier if you stayed on the phone a little longer."_

"I have no business with you, whoever you are. If you wish to hire me, seek out my handler. Further interference with me will be treated as hostile action."

Hachiman drops the phone to the ground and repeatedly steps on it, destroying the device.

'This isn't the first time someone's used unorthodox means of contacting me, but to send a hit squad is quite over the top. I'll have to run this by Ryuzaki later.'

After some analysis, Hikigaya shifts focus to the man laying in agony right across from him.

"So Rorona, what should I do with you?"

The two look at each other intently. The man truly has no idea what to say, fearing he might upset the assassin, however he is also aware that the bullet wound in his leg could kill him if he doesn't do something.

In the distance sounds of sirens begin to fade in, getting louder and louder.

"Looks like your times up."

* * *

 **Authors Note:** _Chapter 12 will be up next week!_


	12. Dealings

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: Hikigaya, Ryuzaki and Black Tiger get captured by the Americans, while in the present Yukino tells Hiratsuka all about her uncles death. Hikigaya makes contact with the mysterious person on the other end of the phone, and tells them not to interfere in his life. The night now draws to a close, how will 8man deal with the injured mercenary? Find out!

* * *

"So Rorona, what should I do with you?"

The two look at each other intently. The man truly has no idea what to say, fearing he might upset the assassin, however he is also aware that the bullet wound in his leg could kill him if he doesn't do something.

In the distance sounds of sirens begin to fade in, getting louder and louder.

"Looks like your times up."

 **1 Week Later – Monday – 15:37**

Hikigaya, sits opposite from Hiratsuka, sipping his coffee in her office. In between her work, she glances up at him, then towards the small bin right next to his chair. There are a few crumbled up papers and used cigarettes inside, however the item she's taken an interest in are the MAX Coffee cans that seem to be piling up.

Her eyes shift from the bin to him.

'I know I said we should sit in silence while he does his homework, but he could at least TRY to make the smallest bit of conversation instead of just sipping that coffee all day. I mean when people say they want silence, they aren't being serious, they're practically begging you for some entertainment! Taking a student under my wing is far harder than I thought… Especially when they're socially retarded.'

 _ **CLANK**_

Another empty can enters the pile, not a moment later Hikigaya reaches into his bag pulling out a brand-new coffee.

"If you keep drinking those you will die, that's a medical fact you know?"

Hachiman looks up from his workbook at his teacher and raises an eyebrow.

"I doubt that, Hiratsuka-sensei."

She shakes her head disapprovingly, before comically over-acting.

"Oh, how could I have done this to an innocent young man, I have gotten him addicted to something, his life is ruined and I'm to blame."

"I forgive you." He says, putting his focus back on his work and coffee.

"No! You're supposed to say 'Oh, Shizuka Hiratsuka, how could you have done this to me, I hate you forever, it'll never be the same after this!' and then you start crying."

Hachiman doesn't respond.

'Jeez, even speaking to Yukino is easier than speaking to a dimwit like this. He doesn't even pretend to care about what I say. He's a terrible student.'

The mention of Yukino slowly brings Shizukas fairly positive mood down slightly.

'A lots happening in that girls family, and it seems I'm the only person she can speak to. Even then, she ran straight for the door the moment I even tried giving her advice… Teaching is really hard, and it seems I can't do anything right.'

Hikigaya senses the pit of depression his teacher is silently falling into, though he doesn't say anything about it. Her mood does appear to be ever changing.

In attempt to ignore her worries Hiratsuka checks the time on her PC.

'15:48'

The two of them have been meeting in her office on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, keeping a soft-unofficial schedule. Occasionally he'll have lunch in her office, however it's not too common as the teachers have meetings during that time.

Despite it being over a month since school started, Hachiman hasn't made any friends, and Hiratsuka is well aware of it. There were quite a few points in her schooling when she had no friends, so she finds it quite difficult to watch it happening to a student who appears to be a decent person overall.

'Even if he doesn't care whether or not he's alone doesn't mean I shouldn't, but it's difficult to help someone who barely speaks to you.'

As the clock hits 16:00, Hikigaya starts to pack up his things, still not saying a word. His teacher simply watches him with an annoyed look in her eyes and a smirk on her mouth.

'He better at least say goodbye…'

Once all his books are in his bag, Hikigaya gets up and leaves Shizukas office, seemingly in a hurry. No 'goodbyes' were said.

Now alone the older woman simply sits arms crossed, staring at the door her student just walked out of.

'You really never know what he's thinking.'

* * *

 **3 Months Earlier**

"AAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Pain. Unimaginable. Indescribable. Real? These words echo throughout Hachimans head as he gets tortured by his captors.

Arms and legs bound by ropes to a chair in the middle of an abandoned underground parking garage. His clothes have been stripped off of him, leaving his naked skin to feel every second of the cold Afghanistan air. Distant screams can also be heard, albeit faintly.

After their capture, the Americans took them to a half-destroyed mall as it was in a zone that'd been long forgotten about by the terrorists. In other words there is absolutely no third-party to hear their wales.

"People like you always think that you're all that. You think you're the best and that you're untouchable just because you leave a trail of bodies everywhere you go, but in reality, you aren't shit."

The American sits on a chair in front of the assassin, watching as he shivers.

"I've done a couple of these 'Black Operations' before. Be it knocking off a world leader so that someone better can take their seat or maybe getting rid of some politicians pregnant mistress. The messed-up shit you know? Doesn't really bother me. This time however I was like, HEY, how about instead of sending American soldiers into some shithole building to rescue some asshole who got himself captured, why not outsource?"

The man laughs a bit to himself, before continuing to monologue.

"Outsource! Like outsourcing to India or something. Except instead of having some random idiot answering the tech support line of Google, I thought how about we find an organization that supplies professional assassins. It sounded ridiculous, and when I brought it up to my commanding officer he laughed, like I was telling a joke. He told me if I could find these so-called organizations that supply assassins like they're donuts, then he'd put them on this mission. Well I found two. The one you came out of and the one your partner came out of."

His tone gets serious.

"And those same people I suggested to my commanding officer, ended up shooting him in the head. So you can imagine how I feel right? I'm clearly the good guy here. You can't just go murdering patriots like that and also expect to get away with it."

No response.

"Enjoy rotting here, I'm going to go say hi to the old man, then to your friend, perhaps they haven't froze to death, but really who even knows?"

The soldier walks away, without saying another word, Hikigaya simply sits there, head hanging low.

* * *

 **Present Day – 20:19 - Hiratsukas Apartment**

 _"Gang wars remain at an all-time high, Donald Trump seemingly makes peace with North Korea, and is your child playing too much Fortnite? Find out more after the break."_

Hiratsuka pays little attention to the news, simply leaving it on as something to listen to while she marks worksheets and organizes future lessons.

 _"In one of todays top stories, three boys who came face to face with death share their experience with local Chiba news after disappearing for almost two weeks."_

This catches Shizukas attention, and she looks up from her work and at the TV. There is a lady dressed in a red skirt, and black blouse standing next to three high school students.

 _"What can you tell me about your experience?"_ The lady says as she holds the microphone out towards them.

 _"Well… Uh basically… The three of us ran away from home… We were very scared… And then a man wearing a mask found us and aimed a gun at us."_

 _"Was he trying to rob you?"_

 _"No… I, uhhh… I think he was wanted to kill us…"_ The boys volume decreases as he finishes the sentence. The memories appear to distress him.

Hiratsukas eyes widen and she snaps her fingers at the television.

"That's them! Those are the kids that tried to rob me a few weeks ago!" She yells at the screen, despite knowing it's pointless.

The interview asks a few more questions. Occasionally the other two boys answer, but the leader of the three does most of the speaking.

Once the questions wrap-up the reporter provides more information and context.

 _"Yes, as you can tell these three very young high school boys have quite a harrowing tale, luckily they did get out alive, but why did they run away from home in the first place? Well an anonymous source has said that they attempted and failed to rob a teacher at Sobu Highschool, Shizuka Hiratsuka. If that name sounds familiar it's likely you've heard of her father, Yuta Hiratsuka, famous Japanese judge. Could the robbery, be connected to her father, we think it's unlikely."_

Shizuka sighs at the mention of her father, then turns the TV off.

'Are they even allowed to use my name without permission like that? Some people really have no respect... That lady would probably be at my door right now if she could get my address.'

The teacher puts her head in her hands, then lies down on the couch.

'The police might give me a visit soon, so I can give another statement. What a drag...'

* * *

 **3 Months Earlier**

Black Tiger inhales, then exhales. The ropes around her arms keep her strapped to the concrete pillar, but her legs are free. Upon being undressed by the soldier who was tasked with monitoring her, Black Tiger was revealed to be female much to his surprise. She took this opportunity to kick him in the throat then use her legs to snap his neck.

'If I don't find a knife or something sharp enough to cut this rope, I'll freeze to death…"

The ice-cold concrete on her back is numbing, and the shivers are hard to control, regardless she does a fine job of ignoring the pain as she rummages through the soldiers corpse with her feet.

The pouches on the man's flak jacket don't hold anything of interest and the dagger on his leg is just out of reach. Despite years of intense workouts, Black Tiger is simply unable to pull the heavy body towards her using just her feet.

"AAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Screams echo through the air. The building she is in appears to be a mall and has been half destroyed, leaving most of the pillars collapsed and the roof almost completely gone. The ransacked clothing and food stores tell a story of their own. Black Tiger pays little attention to this, focusing all her energy into moving the body close enough to reach the knife.

'If I don't get out of this soon, more soldiers will come…'

She strains herself further, face red, sweat dripping down from her forehead. Her leg muscles are basically bulging out as she uses all her might to pull the body even an inch closer.

'Can't scream, have to be silent.'

Blood drips from her lip as she bites it to stop from making any noise.

 _ **SKRRR**_

After all her efforts, the body slides a little towards her, putting the knife in reach. Her legs go limp, and she pants silently. The exertion has caused her to completely forget about the cold.

Black Tiger raises her leg and puts her foot on the knife, using her toes she removes it from the holster and lifts it up to her hand. She's agile, but it still hurts.

Not a moment later, she cuts through the rope, freeing herself.

* * *

 **Present Day – 21:01 - Local Park**

Hikigaya sits on a park bench, enjoying a can of MAX Coffee, his last one for today. Most of the grass areas are dark, but pathways and benches are lit up by lamps and torches. Lovers are often seen walking through dimly lit parks at night, finding the atmosphere romantic.

The young assassin is indifferent to these notions. He's read many light novels, some romantic, some not. Romance has never been an itch he's felt the need to scratch. After all he is quite young and other things tend to occupy his thoughts. The future is not one of those things, and as far as he is concerned romance is all about the future. Who your partner will be, when you'll meet them, what you'll wear, what you'll buy them, when to get married etc. No matter how many bridges you cross in a relationship there are more and more, memories eventually get replaced, therefore he doesn't give it much thought.

A man dressed in a cap and a brown coat walks up to Hachimans bench and sits down next to him.

"I have what you asked for." The man says stoically.

"Show it to me."

An envelope is discreetly slid from one side of the bench to the other. Neither of them look at each other throughout this exchange.

After going through the envelope Hachiman puts it into his school backup and gets up.

The man does the same and they turn in opposite directions. Before walking off, Hikigaya says a few more words to this person.

"You've done good, we'll be seeing each other soon."

There is silence.

"And one more thing, don't even entertain the thought of crossing me, or you won't live to regret the decision. Do you understand?"

"I understand." The man responds submissively.

"Great, goodbye for now, Rorona."

With that they walk off in opposite directions, disappearing into the clumps of darkness.

* * *

 **Authors Notes:** _Woah, Rorona is still alive and seemingly working with Hachiman, crazy stuff right? Probably not. But what's in that envelope? Why is Hiratsuka so disgruntled with her father being mentioned? How will Black Tiger and 8man get out of this situation they are in? Pfff, don't ask me! Chapter 13 will be up next week!_


	13. Obstruction

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: Black Tiger frees herself, Rorona is revealed to be working with Hachiman, and the three boys who attempted to rob Hiratsuka are now in police custody and on the news. What will happen next? Find out!

* * *

 **Tuesday – 17:51 - Safehouse**

"Shizuka Hiratsuka. Primary target. Female. Age 24. Modern Japanese Language teacher at Sobu Highschool. Lives alone. Father: Yuta Hiratsuka, Chief Justice of the Japan Supreme Court. Mother: Tsubasa Hiratsuka, deceased. Formerly a Modern Japanese Language professor. Primary targets interests include: Shounen manga and anime, alcohol, cigarettes. Primary target drives to work at 05:00 every morning, arriving at 05:30 and leaving anywhere between 15:00 and 19:00. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, before going home, primary target will stop at a convenience store to buy various alcohols and (recently) nicotine patches. On Saturdays, primary target will visit the mall for groceries. Primary targets web history has three frequent searches:

Fairy Tail Season 3 News

How to Quit Smoking

How to Meet New People

Occasionally, when marking worksheets, she'll Google the answers she herself doesn't know."

Hikigaya turns to Ryuzaki who is sitting down on the ground meditating.

"That's pretty much all the information Rorona has gathered after following Hiratsuka around for a week."

Ryuzaki continues to meditate offering only a little attention to the assassin.

"This 'Rorona' person you've fished out appears to be quite the asset."

"It would've been a waste to shoot him."

There is silence as Hachiman repacks the files in the envelope Rorona gave him.

"Has he told you anything about his employers yet?"

"He doesn't seem to know anything. His partner was the one who did the dealings. The only information he'd been given was a location and a mission: to catch me alive at all costs."

"Whoever hired him won't stop looking, you should be weary, we have yet to know their motives."

The older man continues his meditation through out the discussion.

"I've been extra cautious lately, but no ones popped up. If they do decide to show themselves, I'll be ready."

He means what he says. Until these unknowns strike again, the most reasonable action to take would be to continue the mission as planned, the only difference being now Hikigaya is working double time.

* * *

 **Three Months Earlier**

Black Tiger, now free, begins to strip the corpse of his clothing and belongings. The man is significantly larger, so she uses the ropes that once constrained her, as a makeshift belt.

'I should find my partner and his handler. It's unlikely I can get out this mall without being caught, on top of that even if I was to get out this building I could only get so far alone.'

She grabs the mans guns and begins her trek though the destroyed compound. Rubble and large piles of concrete are spread over the broken tiled floors.

Currently on the second floor, Black Tiger discretely peeks over the railing. In a circle six soldiers sit together using the debris as chairs. They appear to be cleaning their weapons while chatting amongst themselves.

The assassin can't hear what they're saying but that's good thing, it means that they're unlikely to hear her movements provided she stays on the second floor.

She follows the railing, using it as a cover. Occasionally there'll be a chunk missing or collapsed, these are the most challenging parts. If she gets seen moving from one side to the other, the soldiers will likely over-whelm her. Unlike the locals who terrorise the area, these men are trained and co-ordinated.

As time moves forward so does she, and the distance between Black Tiger and the group of soldiers becomes greater.

Once she is completely out of sight, the assassin vaults over the railing and monkeys down the second floor until she reaches the ground level. This bottom floor of the mall is the least destroyed, and some of the stores glass panes are still intact.

"AAAAAAAAH!"

A scream catches her attention. She begins to move towards it, crawling through tight areas and remaining dead silent as soldiers pass her by in groups of two.

Eventually she reaches an exit, the door is being guarded by two men who are high alert. The exit leads to the parking lot, Black Tiger finds this out by reading the directions and labels around the mall. One of the reasons she specifically was hired for this mission is her fluency in Pashto.

'I can't take them both down hand-to-hand, nor can I shoot them as that would draw in other soldiers.'

She waits a bit and analyses the situation, unfortunately there don't seem to be any solutions to this problem, until she looks up seeing an open vent.

'Perfect.' The assassin thinks to herself as a plan forms.

* * *

 **Present Day – 18:03 - Hiratsukas Apartment **

"As you know, the three high schoolers who attempted to rob you some time ago have turned themselves in. They also confessed to everything."

Hiratsuka nods her head at the detective sitting on her couch. He has a deep voice and large presence in the room.

"Now normally when criminals confess the case gets closed pretty quick, however their confession told the events of the attempted robbery a little differently than you did." He sighs before continuing to speak, "I'm here as a courtesy, because your father has done a lot of good for Japan…"

The teacher leans back in her chair and gets a worried look on her face.

"What do you mean? What's going on?"

The detective doesn't break eye-contact.

"To put it frankly, as things are, you may be charged with obstruction of justice."

Shizukas eyes widen.

"What? Why?"

"In your statement you said and I quote 'I was alone and had a few drinks, I went to lay down for a bit. Later on I heard people breaking in. I went out to confront them and they attempted to attack me. I grabbed a knife in the kitchen and fought them off, injuring my hand in the process.' Do you stand by that?"

She hesitates, looking at the ground, then back at the man.

"Yes that is how I remember that night."

The detective sighs and runs his hands through his hair.

"Well we have reason to believe that your statement is false. You see when the boys confessed, they said it wasn't you who fought them off, but rather someone else. One of them said and I quote 'He walked through the door, turned off the lights. Then slammed my friends heads into a table, knocking over a vase or a jar or something. He then came at me, took the hammer and told us to leave.' Hiratsuka, are you saying this isn't what happened?"

There is silence.

"Well… I was very intoxicated that night, so it's possible I misremembered." Her words have very little confidence.

"I see. Well, The Japanese Police have been given an anonymous tip, which has made this case much bigger than we originally thought. At this time I am unable to give you anymore information."

She simply nods her head.

"Thank you for your cooperation, we will speak again soon."

The detective grabs his things and walks out the apartment, saying goodbye once as he leaves. Shizuka closes the door behind him, pondering about what to do.

* * *

 **3 Months Earlier**

The ventilation shafts are ice cold, but Black Tiger pushes through. Even the slightest noise could give away her position, so she moves with the utmost caution.

After crawling for some time she reaches a loose grate, which leads up into the underground parking lot. The assassin gives it a push and it opens with ease, making only a small amount of noise.

Black Tiger peeks her head out. In the corner of the large garage three jeeps are parked next to each other. In the middle of the lot, her partner sits naked, tied to a chair.

'I can't see whether or not he's breathing from here, but they'd have probably disposed of the body if he was deceased.'

She continues to look around. A couple soldiers appear to be making patrols, probably because of the size of the parking garage.

'Seven men. If I make a run for my partner, they'll see me. I'll have to take them down individually then…'

Crawling silently out the shaft, she begins to move around the parking garage, using old car wrecks and pillars as cover from the soldiers.

One man sits alone having a smoke. One hand on the cigarette the other on his sidearm. Black Tiger sneaks up behind him, and uses the knife she took off the other soldier to slit his throat.

He attempts to scream but it's to no avail, the assassin made sure to sever his trachea. As the man bleeds out, she drags his body to a less conspicuous place. He is heavy like the last man, but this time she can use her upper body strength which makes the task significantly easier.

'One down.'

Black Tiger moves around the garage some more, sticking to the dark areas to remain unseen. One of the two man patrols walk by her, casually chatting about how they hope they can go home soon. Once they have their backs to her, the assassin leaps out, wrapping her legs around one of the mens necks and snapping it while simultaneously jabbing the knife into the other mans throat. It is an extremely impressive take-down.

'Three down. Four to go.'

She goes on to spend the next twenty-five minutes killing each soldier, leaving almost no trail behind. Once the garage is clear Black Tiger makes a beeline for Hikigaya.

"Are you conscious?" She asks while cutting the ropes.

He clenches and unclenches his fists, perhaps checking to see how numb they are.

"I'm fine. They just took my clothes and knocked me around a bit. Then gave some speech about how people like you and me think that we're all this and all that… To be honest I wasn't really paying attention." The assassin stands up for the first time in what feels like ages and strips some clothes off one of the soldiers.

"You say you're fine, but that wound in your shoulder is looking worse than ever."

Hachiman ignores her worries as he gets dressed. This annoys her slightly.

"Whatever, once we find your handler, we need to get a satellite phone. I'll call my handler and he can arrange an extraction."

"Sounds good."

The two assassins, now both armed walk towards the exit.

"There are two men guarding the door."

They look at each for a second, then nod simultaneously. No more words need to be exchanged.

* * *

 **Present Day – 20:31 - Safehouse **

Hachiman calmly paces up and down his room.

 _ **CLANK**_

An empty can of MAX Coffee is thrown in the bin. The assassin stares at it for a bit, continuing to walk back and forth. He then stops abruptly and looks towards his school bag, which is placed on his bed.

'No.'

One word fills his mind.

'Self-control.'

Then two words.

'Patience is a virtue.'

Then four words.

He looks away from the bag, then at it again. A few seconds pass before he walks over to his bed.

 _ **ZIP**_

The bag is opened, and the contents are revealed. If this was a heightened reality world, then the inside of the bag would have a powerful glow emanating from it. The person looking in the bag would try to look away, but the allure of the treasures that lie deep within would be far too great, and all restraint would be lost.

Hikigaya reaches inside, engulfing his forearm in the rays, touching what lies beneath his workbooks. The very act of it feels scandalous, but he can't stop, he's far too deep.

'What would they think if they saw me?'

Who are they? He doesn't know, nor can he think about it. Too many senses being stimulated at once, he can only continue, and imagine what's about to come.

The assassin clutches the item harder, giving into his urges, slowly pulling out the fortune inside the bag. It comes out easily, like Excalibur. Right now, he is a King and this is his birth right.

As the item is removed, Hikigaya cannot help but stare. Words could not describe its beauty…. Actually, that's not accurate: Two words describe it perfectly, and they are laid out in large print right for the world to see.

"MAX Coffee." He says it out loud, audibly confirming its existence.

The moment savoured and remembered. It's not his first time experiencing it's beauty, nor will it be the last, however at this second, Hachiman is locked into a world where it is just him and the treasure in his palm.

 _ **STUP**_

Release. More audio confirmation of it's existence as Hachiman effortlessy fingers it open. A whole new smell fills the room, the mood is changed, though only slightly.

The assassin runs his thumb over the hole, placing his hand in the most convenient spot, before raising the can to his lips.

Contact. The entrance is cold, but not for long, Hachimans warm breathes make sure of that. He raises the can more and the insides begin to leak out bit by bit. First offering a sample, then giving him everything.

Eyes closed, he clutches harder than before, knowing this is it, this is the moment. It fills his mouth, stimulating him in ways nothing ever has. Unseen, his eyes roll back, and he inhales.

 _ **GULP**_

The liquid falls down his throat, and his eyes flutter open. He pants lightly, before transitioning into regular breathing. Hikigaya stays still, not moving an inch. His mind is completely clear, but only for a moment.

'Disgusting.'

One word fills his head.

'Disgusting.'

It is the only word that fills his head.

A look of sadness creeps onto his face as he thinks about what he has just done. He feels disgusted and guilty, he knew he shouldn't have done it, but how could he stop something so good. He always regrets it after, but it has yet to stop him.

'Perhaps… I like this coffee too much..'

He puts the can down, and looks at his clock.

'20:32'

There is silence as he puts his head in his hands, however before he can think anything, his silence is interrupted.

 _ **BEEP  
BEEP**_

He walks over to his phone and checks the notifications. They are both from Hiratsuka, the messages read: _"We need to speak now."_ And _"Pls meet me at the café by the school. It's very important."_

* * *

 **Authors notes:** _Murder, detectives and coffee! What else could you want from a fanfiction? Chapter 14 will be up next week :)_


	14. Advice

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: The two assassins begin their escape from the destroyed mall, Hiratsuka is visited by a detective and Hachiman drinks some coffee. Crazy stuff right? Even more crazy: Shizuka sends 8man a text asking him to meet her at a café right away. What will happen next? Find out!

* * *

 **Tuesday - Crashdown Café - 20:57**

Hachiman opens the glass door and walks into the restaurant. There is a cardboard alien holding a sign with a list of coffees, and another alien holding a sign stating that the café is open twenty-four hours a day.

He looks around and sees his teacher sitting at one of the booths wearing a brown jacket and holding a mug. It's a fairly busy night, so finding her so easily was pretty much luck of the draw. After making his way through the crowds, Hikigaya sits down across from her.

Hiratsuka looks up from her coffee, seeing her student in front of her. She hesitates before saying anything, simply staring. Despite the restaurant being packed with loud customers and a few children, they both feel the silence.

"Hi…" She says, attempting to break the awkwardness.

"Hello." Hachiman responds emotionlessly.

A small smile appears on Shizukas lips, and the awkwardness wanes a bit. His bored tone of voice makes the situation feel a bit more normal for her.

"So, you're probably wondering why I called you here…"

He stays quiet.

"Well like I said, we have something very important to speak about… You know how a few weeks ago, some kids tried to rob me when they thought I wasn't home? Well recently the police found them…"

This time, he responds.

"That's a good thing right?"

"Well yes, but when I gave the police my statement - after I was robbed - I omitted a few details regarding what happened that night. For example, I didn't tell them how you fought off those high schoolers and helped me when I was unconscious. Obviously what you did was heroic and all, but you had just enrolled in Sobu High and I didn't want to put the stress of speaking with police officers on you and before you left my apartment you had asked me not to mention your involvement. So I didn't..."

The teacher sighs and looks around, trying to relax her mind. Hachiman watches as she collects her thoughts.

"Well clearly lying to the police wasn't the smartest idea. I had told them _I_ was the one who fought the intruders off and didn't think about what the boys would actually say once they were caught."

She sips her coffee.

"Earlier today a detective visited me and said that I could have some legal troubles because the case is far bigger than they thought… Whatever that means. Apparently they received an 'anonymous tip' and that's all they could tell me."

This seriously peaks Hachimans interest. All the things his target told him up to this point was stuff he already knew or picked up, however the so-called "anonymous tip" means something is very wrong.

'The only people involved in that mess were Hiratsuka, myself and the three boys that tried to rob her. My target has no idea what the tip was and it's unlikely the intruders had anything to do with it. Meaning someone else has become involved.'

He clenches his fist, though it goes unseen as his hands are on his lap.

'The person on that cell phone, who hired those men to capture me, has to be the one orchestrating this.'

Hiratsuka begins to speak again.

"God, I shouldn't even be telling you this stuff… It's just, I don't know what to do and this affects you and you should know what's going on." Her worlds trail off and there is a long silence.

"Thank you for telling me."

There is a bit more silence, as the teacher finishes her coffee, and lets her student process what she's told him.

"Uhhh…I'm going to go to the bathroom, I'll be right back."

With that Shizuka gets up and walks off from the booth they're sitting in. Hikigaya watches as she walks away before shifting his focus to a man sitting alone at a table, sipping a coffee and reading a magazine. He is dressed in an inconspicuous golf shirt and jeans.

The assassin takes his cellphone out his pocket and dials a number. It rings for a few seconds, before the man sitting alone takes out his phone and answers.

"Hello, Rorona." Hachiman says as he waves to the man.

* * *

 **3 Months Earlier**

Hikigaya walks up to the exit door and knocks twice. A few moments later, it opens and a soldier walks into the parking garage.

"What do you guys wan-"

Before he can finish his sentence, he is overpowered and subdued. Hearing a noise, the other soldier guarding the door turns around only to be greeted by the same fate.

The two assassins walk over the bodies as a pool of blood begins to form.

"I was being kept in the parking garage, and you were being held right in the middle of this mall right?"

Black Tiger nods at her partner as they stealthily trek through the building.

"Then I'd say they probably took Ryuzaki up to the roof. We don't have time to interrogate any of the soldiers, so we'll just have to hope for the best."

Another nod from the female assassin. They begin to follow the signs around the mall, looking for an employees only area that could take them right to the top.

"Thanks for coming back for me, I wouldn't have been surprised if you'd just left."

"That would be a tactical mistake."

"Perhaps, but I appreciate it nonetheless. I was unsure just how long I could last in there."

 _ **CRRR**_

They open a door, and begin climbing a stairway that leads to the roof.

"So you'd just resigned yourself to death?" Her question is blunt and almost critical.

Hikigaya chuckles softly, as she walks slightly ahead of him.

"No, but when it happens, then it happens."

"That's a bleak outlook to have on life, even for a killer. Don't you think?"

"It's not something I think about often."

They walk in silence for a bit, making their way up.

"Maybe you just a need a more fulfilling purpose in life."

"Do you have one?" He asks, unsure whether or not she'd be comfortable answering.

More silence.

"Privacy and secrecy are among the most important things in the work we do…"

"I understand, sorry for prying."

Black Tiger stops walking as they complete the final set of stairs, and turns to face Hikigaya, looking down at him from the higher step.

"Privacy and secrecy are among the most important things in the work we do, but the most important thing is _why_ we do it. I made a promise to a friend many years ago, I'm here right now to fulfil that promise, and every mission I've taken has also been to fulfil that promise. If we survive today, then I'll live tomorrow with her in mind. Having someone to live for is as important as living, and without someone like that I wouldn't have had the will power to complete some of the missions I have.""

Choosing to say silent, Hachiman simply nods at the assassin. Black Tiger turns around and places her hand on a door handle.

"This leads to the roof. We don't know what's on the other side and there are only two things that we can be sure of: Whether we'll open this door, and why we'll open this door. You've already decided to go through the door, and I hope in the future, you'll figure out why you're going through it as well. I didn't save your life twice today, just for you to throw it away."

She pulls down the handle, and slowly opens the door. They both raise their guns, greeting what's on the other side.

* * *

 **Present Day – Crashdown Café – 21:14**

"Hello, Rorona."

The man looks at Hikigaya from across the café with an annoyed expression, before speaking through his cellphone.

 _"I didn't know scandalous dinner dates with high school teachers were part of your mission."_

The assassin smiles.

"Don't get cocky, you know nothing about my mission, and I'm here on business."

 _"Yeah I know."_

The two speak with levity despite their tense relationship.

"Good, that means you've been doing your job. Anything to report?"

 _"A detective visited your target today but that's all… Should we be worried about that?"_

"The only thing you should be worried about is me, Rorona. Forget that for now though, there's more important things to be discussed."

 _"Oh really, like what?"_

"Well for one, your former employers have decided to make an enemy of me, which is very bad."

 _"Very bad for you, or very bad for them?"_

Roronas sarcastic tone isn't subtle.

"You're a funny man. Right now, I need you to get back in contact with whoever hired you, then tell them that you're working for me and that I want to arrange a meetup. They'll most likely accept."

 _"And what if they don't?"_

"Well then they'll probably just track you down and kill you, and then find me another way."

 _"Pfff, Sounds great."_

"But that won't happen. They've made efforts to disrupt my life and lure me out. I have no doubt they'll accept an offer to meet."

Hachiman looks away from the man and towards Hiratsuka who is now walking back to their table.

"We'll be in contact soon." He says as he ends the call and puts his phone away.

The teacher sits down on her side of the booth and offers a smile at her student.

"So… Would you like a MAX Coffee, or something?"

He groans at the thought.

"Actually, I'm trying to cut down."

* * *

 **3 Months Earlier**

A soldier turns around, and sees the door to the roof opening. Before he can react a bullet is sent flying through the air and into his head. The sound of the shot causes all the soldiers on the roof to look at the door and raise their guns.

More shots are fired, and some bodies drop. The man who was torturing Hikigaya earlier, pulls out his sidearm, and aims it at the two assassins who are standing in the door way.

 _ **BANG**_

 _ **BANG**_

He screams and looks at his hand, which is covered in blood, and missing some fingers. The gun drops to the ground and so does he.

Shots keep coming from the doorway, and bodies continue to pile up. Soon there is silence. Hikigaya and Black Tiger walk out onto the roof, dropping their empty rifles.

Some soldiers roll around on the ground clutching their wounds. The man giving them orders is in a condition no better, as he holds onto his hand for dear life.

"Take the weapons off the ones that are still alive, I'll go get Ryuzaki."

Black Tiger does as her partner says, and disarms the soldiers.

"You bastards! I'll kill you!" The commanding officer yells out, however no attention is paid to him.

At the very end of the roof, Ryuzaki sits on a chair, naked, just like Hikigaya. There are some fresh wounds on his body, and bruising around his face, regardless he smiles when he sees Hachiman.

After getting untied, he takes some clothes off of a soldier, and dresses himself.

"Are you good?"

"Yeah, they did the usual stuff then hung me over the roof. I must say, I'm quite disappointed in their lack of creativity."

The assassin smiles.

"Found a satellite phone on one of the men." Black Tiger says, interrupting the reunion.

"Call your handler, we need to get out this mall right now, soldiers will be heading to the roof."

"A Helicopter arrived on one of the landing pads down that way." Ryuzaki points to the east end of building.

"Excellent."

The three of them run across the large mall roof, towards the chopper. Before getting even halfway there, all the soldiers inside the mall arrive at the roof and begin shooting. Most of the shots miss, however one grazes Black Tigers arm.

The soldiers who were wounded by the assassins are dragged away, most likely to get medical attention, while the remaining men start a chase.

Large chunks of the ceiling have broken off, so a misstep could mean a potentially fatal fall.

Hachiman turns around while running and fires off some shots from his pistol. Not even he can hit a shot while at such a distance from the soldiers that are on pursuit. The bullets are mainly just to slow them down and throw them off.

Eventually they arrive at the end of the roof, where the helicopter is located. Ryuzaki opens the unlocked door and pulls a man out the pilots seat.

"Woah woah woah, calm down man! I'm just a pilot chill!"

Ryuzaki pays no attention to him as he climbs in. The two assassins get into the helicopters cabin.

"Don't we need keys… Or something?" Hachiman asks his handler, as he examines Black Tigers wound.

"Not on these models. When I was a younger man I'd fly them all the time." He responds as he starts turning dials and pulling levers.

The soldiers close in on them, but it's pointless as the helicopter begins to push itself off the roof below and into the air.

They aim there guns at it, firing a few shots, however it's futile as the helicopter has been specifically designed for situations like this. The men simply watch as it flies away.

* * *

 **Present Day – Crashdown Café - 21:22**

Hiratsuka laughs out loud. Something she hasn't done all evening.

"What do you mean you're not drinking MAX Coffee anymore, you love that stuff?!"

Hachiman takes a sip of the water he brought from home, before speaking.

"I suppose it's okay, but too much of a good thing can be unhealthy."

Their tones are very different, hers is loud and loose, where as his words come out very stiff and calm.

"Don't be ridiculous, you've been chugging that stuff down for like two weeks now! Why are you not drinking it anymore?!"

The younger of the two ignores her and takes a look at the clock hanging on one of the walls.

"Hiratsuka-sensei, it's a bit late to be out right now, perhaps I should go home."

She leans back into her side of the booth, with a big smile on her face. The teacher raises her arm and points directly to her student.

"You're just trying to get of answering aren't you? I can't be fooled, especially by the likes of you."

The assassin raises an eyebrow.

'She's acting differently than she was earlier. Louder and more disruptive.' He thinks to himself. He ponders it for a bit before speaking candidly.

"Hiratsuka-sensei, are you drunk?"

Her eyes widen and her mouth opens, as if he just told her she won the lottery.

"Hachiman Hikigaya how dare you ask me such an inappropriate question?! I would never hide in a bathroom stall, drinking vodka!"

"I didn't say you would." He retorts, not breaking eye contact.

She blushes hard, realizing where she messed up.

"Well… Well…"

Hikigaya interrupts her ramblings.

"Did you drive here?"

"No…" She answers attempting to suppress a smile.

"You're a bad liar!"

The teacher pouts for a bit, then giggles, then looks as if she is in deep thought before standing up and grabbing Hachimans hand. She pulls him out the booth and begins to walk him to the café door.

"You have to pay for the coffee!" He yells whilst they make their way through the customers.

"I payed for it at the counter, just follow me already."

He stops struggling and lets her lead him out the door. Now standing outside, Hiratsuka simply stares at the passing cars, breathing in the smell of cold air and petrol. This goes on a for a bit before she turns to her student.

"My mother was stressed out a lot when I was young. Sometimes to the point of just breaking down into tears."

The assassin says nothing.

"But the next day I'd see her and it'd be like she was as good as new, like all the problems in her life just vanished. One day I asked her how she does it. She said to me 'Shizuka, it's simple really, I drink a lot of alcohol and go on an adventure!' and then she laughed, and I laughed too."

The wind blows her hair around, and the street lights illuminate Hiratsukas face.

"Let's go on an adventure, Hikigaya!"

* * *

 **Authors Notes:** _An adventure? What could she mean by that? You'll have to wait for chapter 15 to find out! But don't worry, it'll be out next week :)_


	15. Adventure

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: Black Tiger and Hachiman rescue Ryuzaki, then use a helicopter to escape from the mall, while in the present Hiratsuka tells Hikigaya about a detective who visited her and told Shizuka she may be in some trouble for lying in her statement. After that, she goes to the bathroom and gets drunk. The teacher then drags her student out the café and into the street. What will happen next? Find out!

* * *

 **Chiba Streets – 21:31**

"Let's go on an adventure, Hikigaya!"

He shoots her a confused look.

"What?"

She begins to walk down the street, still holding his wrist, pulling him along for the ride.

"It's not that late, plus drunk driving is irresponsible, so let's just walk around for a bit. See what there is to see. We're in the prime of our youth Hikigaya, we need to live!"

"That may be true for one of us, sensei, but…"

A punch to gut cuts his sentence off and she looks at him with a fire in her eyes.

"We're _both_ in the prime of our youth, Hikigaya."

A moment later her expression completely changes to an innocent smile and she giggles. The alcohol appearing to amplify her already bipolar moods.

They continue walking aimlessly. She often makes multiple turns down street corners, causing them to go in circles. The teacher doesn't care though, she just wants to keep moving.

After walking around for a bit longer, Shizuka stops in her tracks and turns in the opposite direction.

'What's she thinking?' His silent question is soon answered when she says what's on her mind.

"Let's go to the zoo!"

"The zoo?"

She raises her arm and points towards a large sign that says "Chiba Zoological Park". He groans but it's to no avail, as she runs towards the entrance.

A man sits behind a glass pane, and there is small line of people buying tickets from him. The teacher waits anxiously for her turn.

Once she gets to the ticket booth, she gives the man her credit card then asks for two passes. She is loud and a bit obnoxious, but he doesn't pay much attention. Hiratsuka wears her Zoo Pass as if it's a badge of honour. Hachiman simply puts his pass into his jacket pocket, as he begrudgingly follows her into the building.

The zoo smells as bad as you'd think, with various different aromas intersecting with each other. Signs are placed all over, with directions to the different animal homes. The first enclosure they visit is for the monkeys. The older woman puts her face and hands right up against the glass and looks in awe at them.

'Does she really like monkeys that much?' He wonders.

After staring at them for a bit Shizuka begins to walk away, directionless. By now she's let go of Hachiman, allowing him to trail behind at a reasonable distance.

 _ **GULP**_

She takes her flask out of her brown jacket and chugs down some whiskey, clearly in no mood to sober up. Hikigaya simply watches. It's not his place to tell her how to live her life, or to mention how sad it is to get drunk at the zoo on a Tuesday night.

'She could find herself in some trouble, it would be best to stay with her right now.'

They then head down to the aquarium part of the zoo. Once again, Hiratsuka presses her face and hands against the glass, like a child at Disney land.

The assassin also looks at the fish swimming around. They don't interest him very much, and his attention shifts to his reflection. Then to something else: A man in a suit, standing idly in sunglasses that's subtly staring at Shizuka.

'Are we being followed?'

* * *

 **3 Months Earlier**

Hikigaya watches as the mall the gets further and further away. The loud noise of the rotor blades slicing through the air is almost deafening. Luckily, the vehicle had some headsets on the passenger side, allowing Ryuzaki, Black Tiger and Hachiman to speak freely.

"My handler said we can meet him in the closest city, we should be able to make it there with the fuel in this helicopter." The female assassin turns off the satellite phone and places it next to her.

"If we land in the city, we'll have to deal with local police." Hachiman says as he uses a medical kit to clean his partners wounds.

"We could land on the outskirts, then walk there?"

"Sounds like a plan." He finishes bandaging her arm and climbs to the front of the helicopter and into the co-pilots seat.

"Did you get all that?"

Ryuzaki nods, focusing on maintaining control of the chopper.

The three of them fly in silence for about an hour and half, before the city comes into view. Even from a far distance, it's a stark contrast from the abandoned ruins the terrorists have gained control of.

The helicopter begins to descend, landing in an open field. Hikigaya, Black Tiger and Ryuzaki promptly climb out wasting no time.

"We should leave our guns behind. If any police see us with weapons and in these military uniforms, they'll likely detain us."

The two assassins do as the older man says and abandon their firearms. They then begin their walk towards the city, using a lone road to guide them.

After a long hike, Black Tiger, Ryuzaki and Hikigaya arrive at the city. There isn't some big door or entrance, the ground simply shifts from ice covered grass to ice covered concrete and buildings become more common.

Lots of people walk past them, some groups as big as ten people. Children run around playing in the streets, and a few cows can be seen roaming as well.

"Did your handler say where to meet?" Hachiman asks his partner.

"There's a large fountain in the middle of this part of town, it's currently frozen so it'll be pretty hard to miss. He said we should wait there until he finds us."

"It's getting pretty late. Does he have a way to get out of this country?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if he's a secured a plane for us. After that he'd probably drop you and your handler off at proper airport, and from there we'd go our separate ways."

They walk in silence for a bit, before Hikigaya asks the female assassin another question.

"Do you think it was a mistake?"

She looks at him.

"Do I think _what_ was a mistake?"

"That we let some of those soldiers live back at the mall."

"I thought we did that so when more reinforcements came, some of them would have to stay behind to give aid to the wounded."

"Yeah that was the idea, though I can't help but worry the decision might come back to bite me."

"I'd say it's unlikely."

Hachiman nods at Black Tiger, feeling reassured in his decision.

Eventually they arrive at the frozen fountain. It's just as bustling as the rest of the places they've been through. With people chatting amongst themselves, children playing and animals walking about.

They wait for a bit, before a Japanese man in a white suit comes into view, walking towards them.

"There he is." Black Tiger says with a slight smile, pointing towards the man.

* * *

 **Present Day – Chiba Zoo - 21:52 **

Hikigaya watches as the man reads a pamphlet. His suit is similar to that of Roronas and his partner.

'I can't be sure he's following us… I'll have to wait and see what happens then.'

The assassin walks up to his teacher, and places his hand on her shoulder. She turns her head away from the fish and stares at him with a puzzled look on her face.

"Hiratsuka-sensei, let's go look at the lizards."

She says nothing for a few seconds, then a wide smile appears on her lips.

"Hikigaya I knew you'd lighten up eventually!"

His face stays emotionless. Quite the opposite of hers, which is emoting a lot more than it probably should.

"Let's go." He says as he walks on, guiding her towards the reptile enclosure.

As they walk, Hachiman takes out his phone, and opens the camera app. He then subtly begins to record the man who is trailing behind them.

Occasionally, they'll walk past a group of people who're also visiting the zoo. Most of them are young adults or teenagers, as it's a bit late for the elderly or children to be here.

Eventually they reach the reptiles. Some of the glass cases that the animals are kept in are large where as some are small. The most popular lizards are right up front, so that people who are just walking in can see them, where as the more scary or unappealing ones are at the back.

Hikigaya continues to record the man as Hiratsuka looks at the different cases pretending like she's reading them, when in reality her mind is focused on how similar the lizards look to Godzilla. This goes on for a few minutes before she gets bored.

"Let's go see the monkeys again!" The teacher yells out, causing some people to look at her.

The assassin sighs, before complying with Shizuka and heading back towards the monkeys with her.

'So far that man has stayed about ten metres away from us at all times, while moving in vaguely the same direction. He's clearly following us, but to what end? If this is one of the men working for that person on the other end of the phone, then that means they're probably following around Hiratsuka in an attempt to lure me out. They currently don't know who I am, if they did they'd have intercepted me on my way to or from school.'

 _ **CLICK**_

As he walks he ends the recording and returns the phone to his pocket.

'I'm not armed, but even if I was, I'd be giving away my identity by taking any action and I can't take a risk like that. There might be more than one operative here right now. It's possible they had him dress similar to Rorona and his former partner to try and get my attention, while another man dressed in casual clothes caught me off guard.'

Whoever the mysterious person behind all this is, they've got Hikigaya at all angles.

"Hey come over here!" His teacher calls out, taking his attention away from the situation at hand.

"What is it?" He asks.

"Let's go to that bench over there!" Hiratsuka points at a small area people can rest at opposite the monkey homes.

"Why?"

"Because my feet hurt and I'm tired! What's with all the questions?"

Hiratsuka pouts at Hachiman, causing him to role his eyes.

"Fine, we can sit at the bench."

* * *

 **3 Months Earlier**

Black Tiger walks up to her handler and bows. He bows back.

"Claude, we're ready to go, have you got an extraction ready?"

The man looks at Hikigaya and Ryuzaki for a few seconds, before looking back at Black Tiger and nodding.

"I've got a truck that can transport us to a small airfield. We'll take a plane that's waiting for us and head to an airport."

The four of them begin to walk through the streets to the extraction point, with Claude and Black Tiger in the front and Hikigaya and Ryuzaki walking behind them.

The female assassin speaks casually with her handler. From where Hachiman is standing she is inaudible, however even if he could hear what she's currently saying, his mind is still contemplating the things she said earlier.

'Black Tiger told me I need to know _why_ I go through the doors I do. What does that even mean? She didn't mean it literally… I think.'

He continues to ponder her words as the sun begins it's descend and the city becomes darker. Eventually, he decides to simply ask his sensei.

"Ryuzaki, why do we what we do?"

The older man looks at him with a warm smile.

"Best not to think about it. Are you feeling a bit shaken after a mission like this?"

The assassin sighs and puts his hand over the wound in his shoulder.

"Not really, no. I was just wondering."

"When it comes right down to it, there is no value in anything. Life is meaningless and we're all going to die. You, I and Black Tiger over there are essentially like the grim reaper. We come for people when they least expect it and make all the choices they've ever made pointless. One day the grim reaper will come for us as well and make all our choices pointless. So _why_ we do what we do, really doesn't matter. It's very depressing I know, so I say don't think about it. Live the life you have."

Hikigaya stays silent, despite being unsatisfied with the answer that is essentially the opposite of what his partner told him.

After arriving at the airfield Black Tiger, Claude, Hachiman and Ryuzaki get onto a plane. The flight doesn't last too long and within the hour they arrive at a commercial airline.

The four of them exit plane and enter the large airport building. Inside they buy new clothes, food and tickets for a flight to Japan. Hundreds of people from various countries are roaming the building, some in a hurry, some nervous, some overjoyed. Each and every person has a different story. Hikigayas story in particular is not a nice one, and the first thing he does once he has his new clothes and tickets, is go to the public bathroom and clean his bullet wound.

It's painful, but important. Once it is properly bandaged he leaves the bathroom and finds Black Tiger waiting outside.

 _"Flight 770 leaving in one hour."_ The voice over the intercom echoes throughout the airport. Listing flight times in several languages.

"Looks like this is where we part ways." Hachiman says to his partner.

"Yeah."

She smiles at him, and there is short silence.

"Back in that mall you told me you were fulfilling a promise to someone."

The female assassin nods at him.

"I hope you fulfil that promise one day, Black Tiger."

There is another pause.

"My name is Tsugumi." She says as she extends out her hand.

He takes her hand and shakes it.

"My name is Hachiman."

"I hope we meet again one day, Hachiman."

He smiles at her.

 _"All passengers boarding flight 770, please go to gate 08 immediately."_

The lady on the intercom is the only cue he needs, and Hikigaya walks off to find Ryuzaki.

Within the hour, they are on the plane and getting ready for take-off.

The aircraft is large, and full of people. The assassin and his handler sit right at the back. Sipping on some ice tea the stewardess gave them.

"Well it's safe to say this mission was an utter failure…"

Hikigaya sighs. It's clear he's exhausted.

"Not really," Ryuzaki begins to speak "The mission was to rescue a target, and you did end up rescuing him. The soldiers who survived will find a way back to the U.S and they'll get their medals. The ones who you killed will be remembered as heroes. It's not your fault you were betrayed. It's a brutal life we lead, there is no time for complaints."

"I suppose."

"There's no time for complaints... But that's never stopped me!" The old man chuckles to himself, before getting a bit serious. "It's been a long day. Just try and rest. Who knows when the next mission will come?"

The assassin lays down in his chair and closes his eyes as the plane begins to ascend. Still thinking about what Black Tiger told him.

* * *

 **Present Day – 22:09 – Chiba Zoo **

_**GULP**_

The teacher drinks down the last sip of whiskey from her flask, vigorously shaking the bottle over her mouth trying to get every drop out. Hikigaya simply watches from the right side of the bench, occasionally glancing at the man who's standing away from them at a safe distance.

Once she realizes nothing more will come out, she puts the flask away and begins to softly sob, before giggling seemingly uncontrollably.

"You wanna know what's funny, Hikigaya?" She asks as she turns to him.

The assassin stays silent, continuing to look ahead with his hands in his pockets.

"We have never had a conversation! Ever! Not even one!"

This causes him to turn to her with a slightly confused look on his face.

"Don't look at me like that… It's the truth! I put you in my office every couple of days and take you under my wing and you BARELY speak to me. You just say one or two words then act as if I don't exist. You've been in my house, in my room! Yet you never have any conversations with me! Hell, we've even been to the zoo together! Don't you remember?"

"That's happening right now!" he interjects.

She starts giggling again, then stops. Hiratsukas eyes get serious, and her voice low.

"I'm so scared Hikigaya. When that detective visited me earlier I had no idea what to say or what to do, and after that I just didn't feel like myself. I haven't felt like myself all night. The stress is just… Too much…" Her words trail off at the end as she leans down putting her head in her hands.

He inhales deeply before beginning to speak.

"I'm sorry, Hiratsuka-sensei. It's my fault you're in this situation." The assassin tries to fake some compassion into his words before once again looking over at the man following them.

"But I promise you I will do my best to fix this." These words are not a lie, he will find a solution to this problem.

"How are you going to do that?" She asks, head still in her hands.

There is silence between them for several seconds, as Hachiman considers what to say. Eventually he recalls a line he read in a light novel sometime ago. One of the main characters was under duress and their friend tried to help, but nothing really worked until he said five simple words.

"Just have faith in me."

Shizuka looks up and turns to face him once again. She stares at his expressionless face and dead eyes. As far she knows, Hikigaya is just a normal high school student, and can't really do anything about the police however in her drunken state she makes the decision to not care even if for just a moment, and take his words for what they are.

"Okay Hikigaya, I'll have faith in you."

She smiles at him, and he smiles back -partly to comfort her further- but also because he's dumbfounded at how such a cheesy-line could even work in real life.

"Let's go home now, Hiratsuka-sensei."

The older woman wipes her face.

"Yeah, maybe that's best."

* * *

 **Authors Notes:** _Chapter 16 will be up next week!_


	16. Bonding - Part 1

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: The Afghanistan mission comes to close, while in the present Hiratsuka and her student take a trip to the zoological park. Shizuka is scared for what the future might hold, but Hikigaya comforts her.

* * *

At around half past ten, Hikigaya and Hiratsuka left the zoo. He walked her back to her apartment and told the receptionist in her building that she got drunk and couldn't drive home. The lady at the desk was polite and took the teacher away from the assassin and into her apartment. He stayed outside for about thirty more minutes to see what the man who was following them would do. Eventually the man got into a black van and drove off. It's clear he was following Hiratsuka, and that he works for the mysterious person on the other end of the phone from the warehouse.

* * *

 **Wednesday – Sobu High School – Lunch Time**

Yuigahama wanders down the hall holding her lunch box tightly to her chest. For whatever reason her homeroom teacher didn't show up to school today, so her class was given a substitute.

'I'm sure Hiratsuka-sensei is alright, sometimes people just get sick and can't get out of bed.'

The young girl reassures herself and continues to walk down the hall. Many students pass her, some in groups and some alone. She pays little attention to them however, as her mind is focused on one thing.

As she reaches her destination, Yuigahama opens the door to class 6-E. Inside, she sees Yukinoshita sitting by herself at a desk, in the middle of the almost empty room.

"Hey!" She says with a big smile on her face, waving her hand.

Yukino looks at her.

"You're here again?"

 _ **SHUT**_

Yui closes the door behind her and waddles up towards the dark-haired girl.

"Yep and look what I brought today!"

She extends her arms, putting the see-through Tupperware in Yukinoshitas view.

"Sushi."

The brown-haired girl frowns at her peers' emotionless response.

"Don't you like it?"

"I have my own lunch."

Her frown turns to a chuckle.

"You always say that!"

"It's always true."

Yuigahama places her lunchbox on the desk and pulls out a chair. She sits right next to Yukino.

For the past two weeks, every time it's lunch Yui will look for Yukinoshita in an attempt to eat with her. Almost always she finds the dark-haired girl sitting alone in this classroom. Yukino has tried to put an end to this multiple times, but Yuigahama is relentless in her attempts at friendship. For the last three days the wealthy girl has become less and less opposed, but still puts up a small fight every time.

"I don't understand why I have to eat your food, it seems preposterous."

"Its because we're friends now and when friends eat together, they share their food just like on TV!"

"I've already told you we are not friends, we are acquaintances."

"Just try some! My mom made it, so I know it's good."

Yukino sighs and gives into her acquaintances pleads.

"Fine…"

"Say, ahhhh." Yuigahama says as she opens her mouth indicating what she wants the girl to do.

"Absolutely not."

Back to square one, it seems.

* * *

 **2 Months Earlier**

Hikigaya slowly opens the wooden door in front him, using his left hand to hold a dark black duffel bag. The door makes a little noise as it moves forward revealing what lies ahead.

"Mommy I want my colouring book!"

"I told you, we have to wait until the next stop!"

"Just give her the damn colouring book."

"You never take my side, what kind of example are you setting!?"

The assassin sighs, as he makes his way through the train carriage. The seats are filled with all kinds of people, and a lot of loud and obnoxious children. Out the window, a beautiful view of the Japanese countryside can be seen, along with the smoke coming out of the firebox in the large steam locomotive. Due to it's poor environmental impact, the train has been made the last of it's kind in this region. Ironically, this has caused even more people to use it, as they may not be able to much longer.

One of these people is famous Japanese voice actor Rie Takahashi. Known for her work on _Re:Zero_ , _Karakai Jouzo no Takagi-san_ and _KonoSuba_. Unfortunately for the seiyuu, her name has been put on Hachimans radar and not for her voice acting talents but rather for getting the attention of his current employer.

Hikigaya continues his walk through the train carriages eventually arriving at the last one. A small sign above the door indicates he's about to enter first-class. He looks down at the handle and sees another small sign, telling him to use his "First-class key". The assassin puts his finger against his ear, pressing a button on a skin coloured ear-piece.

"I'm here."

The voice on the other end responds immediately.

 _"Good. Reach into your blazers right pocket."_

He does as he is told and pulls out a set of keys.

"Any other items inside these clothes you gave me that I should know about?"

 _"A few, but just get into position for now."_

Hikigaya unlocks the door and walks in. He looks around a bit, then finds his assigned seat. Around this time, the train begins to move and the engine roars throughout the carriages.

"Tell me what I'm looking for." The assassin says into his earpiece as he sits down.

 _"Female. Age twenty. Dark-Brown-hair."_

In the front of the carriage, an old man sits sleeping. In the middle-left is Hachiman by himself. To the right side are two men looking out the window and in the far back corner is Rie Takahashi.

"I've got one person matching the description."

 _"Excellent. Now see if she has a handbag on her."_

"Affirmative… You know you could have put all this in a briefing?"

 _"We prefer to work this way. You'll get you the information you need, when you need it."_

Hachiman accepts the answer and watches as Rie sips on some wine, looking out at the countryside passing her by.

"So, what do you want me to do?"

* * *

 **Present Day – Sobu Highschool – 15:45**

Yukino walks down the steps, towards the school gates. She is currently looking down at her phone, scrolling through a webpage on Google Chrome. Suddenly she stops abruptly, and squeals from excitement.

The dark-haired girl blushes, and looks around, making sure nobody heard her. Once she is certain no one is around, she begins to walk forward again, however she only moves a few steps before hearing something and turning around once again.

She raises her eyebrow and stares intently at one of the beams holding up a small roof by the exit of the building. Around this time of day most students have cleared out, leaving only some faculty in the building and the outside areas mostly empty.

"Who's there?" She asks out loud, unsure whether or not she is alone.

No response.

Yukinoshita weighs up her options, before reaching into her skirt pocket and pulling out a small rod.

 _ **SLING**_

A thirty centimetre blade extends from the rod, as she flicks her thumb over a switch.

She places her schoolbag on the concrete, and positions the knife behind her wrist, meaning only someone standing behind her would be able to see it. The now armed girl slowly walks up to the pillar, not taking her eyes off of it. She clutches the handle of the knife harder, ready for whoever she may encounter.

'A predator? A stalker? A hitman?'

Thousands of different possibilities run wild through her mind as she gets closer. Once ready, Yukino throws herself around the beam and sticks out the knife.

"Reveal yourself, adversary!"

After those words there is silence for several seconds, before the "adversary" responds.

"Meow."

Yukino looks down, and sees a small cat lying on it's back, scratching at the beam with his belly in the air. She breathes a sigh of relief and kneels down to pet it. The cat purrs, indicating he enjoys the attention. Unfortunately, their time together is cut short when Yukinoshita hears stifled laughter from behind her. She instantly recognizes the sounds.

'Oh god...'

The dark-haired girl stands up and turns around, seeing Yuigahama standing behind the adjacent beam holding onto her mouth.

"Reveal yourself, adversary!" Yui repeats in a mocking manner, still giggling.

"I don't know what's funny. A young, desirable girl such as I never knows what lies behind each corner. It's reasonable that I'd want to strike first."

She speaks with confidence, but her face is red hot with embarrassment.

Yuigahama stops giggling and simply smiles at Yukino. A few seconds pass, and her eyes wander to the knife in her peers' hands.

"You're not allowed to bring weapons to school you know." She says, pointing at said weapon.

"My father cleared it with the principal."

The brown-haired girl accepts the answer at face value, and there is a long silence.

"Well, I'll be going now." Yukino sheathes blade, and puts it back into her pocket, then walks off towards the school gate.

Yuigahama runs up behind her yelling "Hey! Wait for me!"

She is ignored, and Yukino continues to walk, paying no attention to the girl following her.

"I saw you were on the website for the mall, I couldn't tell what you were looking at though..."

No response, as Yukino kneels down to grab her schoolbag.

"Well if you're going to the mall, can I come?"

Still no response.

Despite getting the silent treatment, Yuigahama stays cheerful while walking beside Yukino, as they head in the direction of the shopping centre.

* * *

 **2 Months Earlier**

"So, what do you want me to do?"

 _"Check the bag."_

The assassin does as he is told and discreetly unzips the duffel.

"I see some clothes, a brown handbag and a…" He chuckles to himself, "And a MAC-11 subcompact machine pistol."

 _"That's just there for emergencies, so ignore it for now and focus on the brown handbag. As you can see it's a replica of the handbag your target has on her. You'll need to swap them."_

"I could just wait until we get to the next stop and eliminate her when she's alone, then just give you the bag."

 _"Your suggestion is noted, but this needs to be done as clean as possible."_

"Well if I try to swap them I'll get made pretty quickly… Unless of course, you also planned for that?"

 _"Check your inside pocket."_

He pulls out a very small glass bottle that's filled with a see-through liquid.

 _"Get that in one of her drinks and she'll be out cold for the rest of the trip."_

"Okay, I'll get it done."

 _"You don't need anymore information?"_

"Knock out my target and get the bag. I think I can manage."

 _"Good. Signing out for now."_

Hikigaya puts his finger back to his ear and clicks the small button. Not long after a lady pushing a small table walks into the train carriage. The table houses a bucket of ice, several cups and glasses along with various drinks. She goes up to service the two men first.

"Hey can I get a coke please?" The one man says smiling at the pretty lady.

"Uh… Unfortunately, the regular cokes are out, but we do have the new low-calorie Coca-Cola with stevia extract."

She passes the can to the man and he examines it.

"What is this bullshit? Leaf-flavoured coke!? I paid extra for a first-class seat and you don't even have the real stuff? Get outta here lady..."

His friend also scoffs at the item.

"My apologies sir."

As she walks away she silently insults them under her breath. Hikigaya laughs to himself, finding the exchange funny.

Not a moment later the table rolls up to his seat, and the lady asks him what he'd like.

"Just some still water please."

She smiles respectfully and hands him a plastic bottle, filled with his desired beverage.

"Thanks… You know I heard that guy back there, and he was really rude to you."

The lady smiles again, this time not out of courtesy.

"Oh no it's okay. He's probably just really stressed or something you never know what's going on in someone's life. I wouldn't worry about it too much."

He nods at her understandingly, before speaking again.

"Well, I have to go to the bathroom, so if you'll excuse me?"

"Oh yes of course!" She says as she begins to push the table further down the aisle, however before she can get to the next seat, Hachiman slides his foot under the wheel causing the table to jerk and an open wine bottle to fall off.

He quickly grabs it before it hit's the ground, and in the confusion, he slips in some of the liquid to knock out his target.

"Oh god! I'm such a klutz sorry!" The lady says as she turns around.

"It's quite alright."

Hachiman hands her the bottle and smiles graciously.

"You're too kind really."

After a few more apologies the lady walks off to the next customer, pouring her a new cup of wine.

'Excellent.' He thinks to himself, watching his plan playout perfectly.

* * *

 **Present Day – Chiba Mall – 16:10**

"And then I said: 'But mom, if you don't let me go, everyone will hate me!' and then she said that it doesn't matter who likes me and that my safety is more important. I was really mad at the time but in the end I'm happy I didn't go!"

Yukino stares deadpan ahead as her and Yuigahama walk through the shopping centre. For the past twenty-five minutes the brown-haired girl has not stopped speaking. All the way from the school to the mall she told Yukinoshita one personal anecdote after the other.

At some point the dark-haired girl gave in and indulged in the useless chatter, but only a little.

"That's a crazy story."

Her face contradicts her words.

"You don't have to lie… It's not THAT crazy, just a little. Anyway, the reason I'm happy I didn't go was because the next day I met Hikki…"

Yuigahama smiles at the memory. Recalling how he saved her dog then walked along with her to the mall.

"I don't know who that is." Yukino responds sternly.

"Yeah you do! Remember, you ran into Hiratsuka-sensei, Hikigaya and me."

She thinks back and remembers seeing Yuigahama with a boy the last time she was at this mall. She also remembers her driver almost hitting him with her car.

"I suppose I do recall it."

"I've tried to be friends with Hikki, but I never really see him except in class you know, and even when I do see him in class, him and Hiratsuka-sensei are always staring at each other."

Yukinoshita turns and looks at Yuigahama.

"What?"

"Yeah, they think no one notices, but I see it."

For reasons unknown to even Yukino, hearing about this puts her in a bad mood. She stops walking and faces Yui.

"Why do you insist on following me around?" She asks in an attempt to change the subject. "I have never been nice to you, and I offer only the bare minimum when it comes to conversations. Yet, when I spilled tea on myself, you gave me your shirt, and after that you would not leave me alone. You steal every free moment away from me at school, and now you are harassing me as I go about my regular day." Yukino raises her arm and points at the brown-haired girl, "Tell me, what are your ulterior motives?!"

Yuigahama stands awkwardly in the middle of the mall, as she is grilled by Yukino.

"Uhh… To be your friend… I guess."

Her cheerful nature regresses into an awkward one.

"Why?"

"B-Because you're smart, and pretty… And you say what's on your mind… And I want to be just like you…"

Yukino frowns, then looks around. She sees the store she came here for and walks away from Yui as she if she was never there.

* * *

 **Authors and notes:** A new mission for Hikigaya and a new adventure for Yukino and Yui. What will the future hold? Find out in chapter 17 next week!


	17. Bonding - Part 2

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: Hikigaya finds himself on a train in the country side while in the present Yui insists on going with Yukino to the mall. What will happen next? Find out!

* * *

 **Wednesday - Chiba Mall - 16:14**

Yuigahama watches as Yukinoshita walks into a store. She follows behind her, keeping quite a distance between them after the scolding she got.

'I've just gotta… Be strong? Yeah! That's right… Yukinoshita is just being honest. She hasn't said specifically that she doesn't want me around… I mean she's implied it but… No! I've seen her alone every single day at lunch. Everyone secretly wants a best friend, that's what my older brothers anime collection has taught me!'

The brown-haired girl clenches both her fists and puts a big smile on her face before closing the distance between her and Yukino.

"What are you looking for?" Yui asks, as she watches her peer examining the shelves.

The shop they are currently in is a crafts store, but also stocks various novelty items like toys, fake moustaches, skipping ropes etc. The shelf in particular that Yukinoshita is looking at is packed with plush animals.

"There is a stuffed doll named Pan-san that just came in stock here. I've been waiting for a few weeks." Yukino responds, still looking through the wares.

Yuigahamas heart flutters with joy.

'I can't believe she actually answered me!'

"I only answered you because I know you would've bothered me about it for the rest of the afternoon if I hadn't told you outright."

Startled, Yui jumps back.

'I-It's like she can read my mind!'

Yukino starts to walk down the aisle looking for her item of interest. It takes a few minutes, but eventually she finds it.

"Here. Pan-san." The wealthy-girl points at it, before kneeling down and picking it up. She hugs the doll tightly against her chest, almost as if she's testing it. A few moments later, she throws it back into the pile as if it's yesterdays trash, and then begins to walk out the store angrily.

"Hey what happened?!" Yuigahama yells out, trying to catch up.

Once they are in close proximity, Yukino answers.

"It's a fake. Not the right material or stuffing. It's despicable that a reputable store would stock such insulting refuse."

Yui giggles.

"Surely they can't be that different from what you're looking for?"

"They are." She raises her phone up to the brown-haired girls eye-level, showing her the screen.

She looks closely, seeing an image of Pan-san, a small stuffed animal with a white body, black legs and arms, and a star around one of his mischievous looking eyes. Beneath the image, two malls are listed: The one they are currently in and a mall on the other side of town.

"I got an alert from the 'Pan-San Fanclub' Instagram account earlier, that apparently a knock-off brand of limited edition Rockstar Pan-sans were accidentally put into circulation. One of the admins determined that they'd either be delivered to this mall or the other one listed. I was hoping to get a Rockstar Pan-san for my collection, but they only have the fakes. Now it's too late."

Yukino puts her phone away with a sad look on her face.

"Why don't you just go to the other mall now, or get the doll tomorrow?"

"The store that sells the Rockstar Pan-san closes in under an hour, and if I go tomorrow after school they will all be sold out."

Yuigahama thinks a bit to herself, then grabs Yukinoshitas hand.

"What are you doing?" Yukino asks, startled by the sudden contact.

"If we hurry, we can get that Pan-san!"

"It's no use. We'll never make it in time."

A moment later Yukino feels herself getting pulled along towards the exit of the mall.

"We'll make it!"

* * *

 **2 Months Earlier**

Hachiman looks at himself in the bathroom mirror and pulls down the top of his shirt revealing his right shoulder. A large scar from his previous bullet wound is more than prevalent.

He attempts to raise his arm. It hurts but he is able to do it. The adrenaline from his mission in Afghanistan got him through using his arm with minimal pain, however the moment he arrived back in Japan the bullet finally caught up with him so-to-speak.

After spending a good five or so minutes in the bathroom, he heads back to the first-class train-carriage. Once he arrives he sits back down in his seat and takes a look at his target. Currently she is sipping on a new glass of wine the train attendant gave to her. He continues to watch as she takes the last few sips. About ten seconds later she starts drifting off, before her head unceremoniously drops down onto her shoulder.

The assassin examines his surroundings. The older man is still asleep, and the two men are occupied taking a video of the countryside. He stands up and begins walking down the aisle towards Rie Takahashi. No one notices him as he closes the distance between the target and himself.

After sitting down next to her, he reaches into his shoe and pulls out a small knife. He silently cuts the two straps keeping her handbag around her body. He then takes the replacement handbag and sets it down on her lap, whilst putting the real one in his jacket.

As he walks back to his seat, the man holding the camera leans out towards him.

"Hey give me a smile dude!"

Hikigaya raises his hand over his face as the light on the camera flashes.

"No thanks, sorry."

His emotionless response annoys the man, and he berates the assassin to his friend afterwards. Soon Hachiman is back in his chair, holding the package he was sent to collect. He clicks the small button on his ear piece before speaking.

"I've got the handbag. What should I do now?"

No response.

"Hello?"

No response.

"Is anyo-"

 _"We have a problem."_ The voice on the other end says, interrupting him.

* * *

 **Present Day – Chiba Bus – 16:22**

"We're not going to make it in time. This exercise is pointless." Yukino says, sadly looking at the seats in front of her as the bus drives towards it's next stop by the mall.

"Don't speak like that! As long as we stay positive and hope for the best we can achieve anything!"

Yuigahama tries her hardest to boost her peers' confidence.

"Thinking nice thoughts won't do anything, this isn't _Doctor Who_ for god sake. I can't believe you dragged me onto this bus."

The two of them are sitting next to each other, surrounded by people coming home from a long day of work and school.

"How can you have that attitude?! What would Pan-san think if he saw you like this?"

"Pan-san is nothing but an inanimate object. I have no regard for him or his hypothetical thoughts and feelings."

The young girl frowns and looks out the window, noticing the dark clouds in the sky.

"If he means so little to you, then why did you even try and buy one?"

No response.

"You never tell me anything!"

"That's because I don't trust you."

"But why?!" Yui doesn't let her feelings get hurt, but the harsh wording of Yukinos sentence still bothers her.

"I'll trust you when you prove you can be trusted."

"But you should trust people until they can't be trusted! It's called having faith in people, you know?"

"That's an awful way to live your life."

"Well it works for me…"

Yui leans back in her seat and inhales, taking in the various aromas that permeate the vehicle. Sweaty socks and discarded street food are the strongest scent, but you'd expect nothing less from public transport.

 _ **BRRR**_

Yukino takes out her vibrating phone and unlocks it. Her notifications indicate she has a new message from Hiratsuka. She clicks the button and opens up the chat.

 _"How are u btw. Also srry for not coming 2 school got drunk don't tell any1."_

The dark-haired girl sighs at the message, causing Yuigahama to look over her shoulder to see what's going on.

"Woah… I didn't know you had Hiratsuka-senseis number!"

"If you want it, just ask her. She'll give it out to anyone if it means getting even the slightest bit more attention."

"That's not very nice, you must really dislike her." Yui responds chuckling.

"Actually, she's my favourite person in the whole world."

"What about your parents?" Yuigahama asks now speaking in a soft tone, even she knows how sensitive this kind of topic can be for people.

Unfortunately for the young girl, Yukinoshita chooses to flat out ignore the question and not answer.

"Well you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to… I guess."

"I already know that, which is why I don't."

The bus begins to slow down, and the sound of the front door opening is heard throughout the vehicle, followed by sounds of people getting up and/or changing seats.

"We're here, let's go."

Yukino stands up and grabs her schoolbag, then begins to walk down the middle of the bus as Yuigahama follows suit.

* * *

 **2 Months Earlier**

"What do you mean by 'We have a problem?'" Hikigaya asks as he looks around.

 _"You said you have your targets handbag right?"_

"Yes."

 _"Well whatever happens do not lose sight of it."_

"Don't worry, I won't. Just tell me what's happening."

The voice sighs.

 _"That bag is holding an item that is of great value to many people. Originally -Let's say person A- had the bag and placed said valuable item in the bag. He then wanted to send the bag to person B in secret, but they couldn't arrange a secure meeting. So person A and person B work out a drop-off point. Person A leaves the bag at said drop-off point, but before person B can retrieve it, the bag is found by a homeless child. The child goes onto sell it to some flee market. Then a young woman purchases it, soon she is heading to the train station. Then an assassin is sent to get the bag off the young woman."_

"Alright I'm following you."

 _"By the time the bag was in your targets possession, word had already spread that person B never got it. Your employer was one of the people who found out and you were promptly hired to retrieve it. Unfortunately, you weren't the only one hired."_

Hikigaya begins to understand.

 _"From what I've gathered, there are up to four other parties on this train eager to get that bag. Some may be one person like you and some may have partners."_

"What should I do?"

 _"You have to make sure no one gets that bag, and that the train gets to the next stop. If it doesn't make it there, the police will be alerted before your employer can get his hands on the package, which is a mess we'd like to avoid."_

"Alright. I'll make sure the train gets there and I'll keep the handbag safe."

Hachiman presses the button on his earpiece then stands up from his seat and begins to walk towards the first-class exit. Before he can leave, a tall bald man walks in and they exchange a glance.

The man moves to the side courteously, allowing Hikigaya to walk past. The assassin does so and reaches out to grab the door handle. Before he opens it, he turns his head back towards the man. He sees him stop, and also turn around to get a second look at Hikigaya. They make a seemingly unbreakable eye-contact. This goes on for about ten seconds before Hachiman lets out a long groan and begins walking to the man. The man does the same and begins to walk towards Hikigaya.

* * *

 **Present Day – Kiroku Mall – 16:56**

Yukinoshita and Yuigahama hurry through the mall, well aware that their time is almost up.

'We've come this far, so I'll see it through.' The dark-haired girl thinks to herself as they make their way past people pushing shopping carts and holding various items in plastic bags.

As they walk, she looks at Yui. The girl has a determined look on her face, seemingly ready for anything the world can throw at her. This inspires Yukino, if only slightly. Being a realist, she knows that sometimes failure is inevitable no matter how unfair it may be.

This is one of those times.

Once they arrive at their destination, they are met with disappointment. The two girls stand in front of the store, simply staring at it. There there are metal shutters over the glass door and the lights inside are off. The wall to the right has a small sign listing opening and closing times. If they had been about ten minutes earlier, they'd have made it.

"Well, I expected this to happen. Let's go."

Yuigahama stands still and continues staring at the store.

"I'm not going to wait fo-"

Before she can finish her sentence, she is interrupted by Yui.

"I'm sorry Yukinoshita! I thought we could make it but we couldn't…"

"It's fine. It doesn't matter."

She tenses up and raises her shoulders.

"It does matter. I thought if I could help you get Pan-san, that maybe you'd want to be friends... Or even trust me..." Yuigahama turns and looks at Yukino. "But all I did was get your hopes up and disappoint you. Why would you ever want to be friends a person like that?"

The wealthy-girl sighs.

"Don't be so dramatic, it's just a doll."

Yui begins to walk away from Yukino.

"Where are you going?" She asks, calling out to the brown-haired girl.

"I'll find my way back home. I'm sorry for disappointing you…" Yuigahamas words trail off at the end, and almost go unheard.

Yukinoshita watches as the distance between them gets larger and larger. A question pops up in her head, and she knows that in this moment she has a decision to make. She looks at the store and then at Yui, before speaking.

"Yuigahama! Wait."

The girl turns around, still pouting, and looks at her peer.

"There is another way we can get the Rockstar Pan-san."

"Really?!" Her face lights up.

"Yes. You said you wanted me to trust you and that you wanted to be my friend, but if you want that to happen you need to trust me as well."

"Of course I trust you!" Yuigahama says as she begins jogging back to Yukino.

The dark-haired girl nods and looks up at the corners of the roof. Currently, the area of the mall they are in is almost empty as most of these stores are closed and the remaining people are clearing out.

Yukino sees a camera with a blinking red light, then takes out her phone.

"What are you doing?"

"My sister is a bit of a wizard when it comes to technology, I was never as gifted, but I know a thing or two as well." Yukino begins tapping the screen of her phone. "These CC-TV cameras are all connected to the internet so that their footage can be streamed to any security room in the building with ease. For some reason, they decided to use the same internet connection as the free Wi-fi hotspot available for everyone in the mall to use. I can easily exploit this."

Yuigahama gets a worried look on her face.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I can take control of the camera remotely."

"L-Like hacking it?"

"In a manner of speaking."

"But why?"

"Because once it is off, we'll have more than enough time to break into the store and get the Pan-san."

"A-Are you sure about this I mean…"

"This is the only way. Can I trust you or not?"

Yukino stops what she's doing and looks deeply into Yuis eyes.

The worried look slowly disappears from her face.

"You can trust me!"

* * *

 **Authors Notes and what-not:** Hikigaya on a train full of assassins? Yuigahama possibly committing a crime? See you next week :)


	18. Bonding - Part 3

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: The package Hikigaya was sent to collect is revealed to be highly sought after by several other parties, while in the present Yukinoshita takes a leap of faith with Yuigahama. What will happen next? Find out!

* * *

 **Tuesday - Kiroku Mall – 17:01**

The red light on the camera stops blinking, and Yukino hurries towards the entrance to the store.

"Keep watch. If anyone comes, tell me."

Yuigahama nods and begins to look around. Despite being a bit naïve in some social situations she is more than aware of the risk currently being taken.

'Friendship is all about taking big jumps, so if this is what Yukinoshita needs me to do… I guess I'll do it!' Her thoughts are contradicted by her fast heart rate.

Yukinoshita reaches into her pocket and pulls out her retractable knife. She then reaches behind her head and pulls out a small pin from her hair. The wealthy-girl kneels down by the padlock on the metal gate and bends the bobby pin over the blade. She then inserts it into the lock before taking out another pin and sliding it over the previous one.

"So… Have you done this before?" Yuigahama asks attempting to make some conversation, while her peer fiddles with the lock.

"Yes."

"W-When?"

"Does it matter?"

"I guess not…"

"Just keep watch."

Yui nods her head, paying attention to their surroundings.

 _ **CLINK**_

"The first lock is done." Yukino confirms as she raises the metal shutters.

"There's more than one?"

"Yes. The first is the padlock on the shutters. The next lock will be for the door to the store."

"Are you going to pick it as well?"

Yukino backs up slightly, before kicking the glass door as hard as she can. It shatters, leaving shards all over the floor.

"Not every lock can be picked, unfortunately. Breaking and entering is hardly ever so eloquent."

She reaches her hand through the glass and turns a knob on the other side of the door, unlocking it.

"What about the alarm?"

"I disabled it along with the camera. This is a small-time store, they weren't expecting anyone to go through such trouble so they cheaped out on cyber-security."

Yukino sheathes the blade and returns it to her skirt pocket, along with the pins.

"It's open, we need to hurry."

Yuigahama walks towards the door before slowly stopping.

"A-Are you sure we won't be caught?" She asks nervously.

"If you want to be certain you won't get in trouble for something, then you shouldn't do it in the first place. It is very possible we could get caught, but I've done all in my power to avoid that."

The brown-haired girl takes a deep breathe trying to collect her thoughts and prepare herself for the task at hand.

'I know what Yukinoshita is doing. She's testing me! To see if I can be trusted and be her friend but… Isn't this too much?'

Seeing how the Yui is acting, Yukino attempts to interrupt her potential thought process.

"I know how you're feeling right now, Yuigahama: You don't know what to do. There's someone in front of you asking you to do something completely out of your comfort zone, and there are compelling reasons to do it and to not do it. So you're rightfully conflicted. I feel that conflict every single time you ask me to be your friend. Trust is a two-way street, so let's go down that street together."

As she finishes her speech, Yukino offers smile to Yuigahama.

* * *

 **2 Months Earlier**

As the distance between them comes to a close, Hachiman throws his fist towards the bald-headed man. The operative catches it and attempts to kick Hikigaya, but his foot is grabbed and his ankle is twisted. The man falls down onto his back but quickly rolls back up as Hachiman fails to kick his head in.

"Holy shit calm down dudes!" One of the men in first-class yells as he watches the two assassins brawl.

 _ **PAH**_

The force of a punch to Hachimans face causes him to fall backwards, but he grabs one of the seats just in time, pulling himself back up. He wipes his nose before looking at his hand, which now has some blood on it. Standing two metres away from each other the man reaches behind his back.

'A gun? No, he wouldn't be able to just carry one on him. A knife then? They'd have taken any weapons from him before allowing him on the train… What could it be!?" Hikigaya runs through a ton of possibilities in a matter of seconds.

 _ **SNIP**_

 _ **SNIP**_

The mans arm returns to his side and he reveals none other than a pair of scissors. He squeezes them twice, almost taunting his combatant. Hikigaya smiles widely as he sees the weapon.

'I'm a sucker for creativity.'

The moment is soon over as the man jumps at Hachiman and tries to drive the scissors right into his neck.

"Oh god, you guys are mad!"

The two civilians back up in their seat doing their best not to get caught up in the crossfire. Rie Takahashi remains unconscious and the old man up front appears to still be sleeping.

"Ahhh!" The assassin grunts as he holds the scissor away from his throat, cutting his palms in the process. He is proficient in his work, but his opponent is older, stronger and clearly a professional. One wrong move could mean death.

Seeing an opening, Hachiman adjusts his body weight causing the scissor to plunge deeply into the of the seats. As the man attempts to reacquire his weapon, Hikigaya kicks him in the face, causing the operative to fall back onto the ground. Not wasting a second, the younger of the two pins him down and grabs his throat, attempting to suffocate the man. They struggle and struggle and eventually Hachiman is pushed off. The man gets up attempting to breath and turns around to get some distance between them.

Hikigaya quickly grabs him from behind and wraps the operative's tie around his own neck. There is even more struggling than before as the mans face goes blood red, then starts going blue as the fighting subsides. The assassin lets go, and the bald-mans body drops to floor of the train. The two civilians look in horror at Hikigaya as he wipes some sweat off of his forehead.

* * *

 **Present Day - Kiroku Mall – 17:05**

The two girls walk into the dark store, using the flashlights on their phones to see where they are going.

"Do you know where to look?" Yui asks, as she feels her way around.

"I've only been to this store a couple of times, but if I was to guess, they'd be at the far-left corner, with the other plush toys."

They make their way through the different aisles and shelves doing their best not to touch anything or leave any DNA evidence they were here.

"You must really love Pan-san to go this far for him, you know?" Yuigahama says half-asking and half-stating what she thinks, followed by a nervous chuckle.

"Like I said, it is just a doll."

"I like dolls too… I have a lot of Adventure Time, Power Puff Girls and Emoji ones."

"I don't watch much television or use emoticons." Yukino responds, moving her flashlight over the various signs and cases.

"My grandparents buy me most of my stuffed dolls. Sometimes my mom will too, but only if it's a special day like Christmas or my birthday. Who buys your toys?"

"No one."

The answer is blunt and throws Yuigahama off.

"O-Oh… So… Did… You steal… All your dolls?"

Yukinoshita stops and gives her peer a disapproving look, before beginning to walk again.

"I bought them myself."

The brown-haired girl giggles.

"Oh. I didn't think of that… So do you have a job?"

"No, I get a large allowance. How many questions are you going to ask me?"

"Sorry, it's just that you don't usually answer me…"

"I'll humour you for now since you're helping get this Rockstar Pan-san."

"Well… I don't get a big allowance… Not that I'm ungrateful or anything! My mom just probably doesn't think I'm ready."

"Do you think you're ready?"

"Well kind of… I mean if I had tons of money I might buy a huge cake that's covered in ice-cream!"

"Maybe your mother is right."

"I'm only joking! I know that would be a waste of money… I'd probably actually give it all to charity or to the homeless. I love helping people."

The dark-haired girl doesn't respond and continues looking around. A few moments later her search comes to an end.

"Found it."

They both stop as a shelf of Pan-sans is illuminated by Yukino's phone light.

"Wow there's only a few left."

"Indeed. If I were to come here tomorrow, all hope would be lost."

Yukinoshita reaches out and grabs the doll, holds it to her chest, then puts it inside her schoolbag.

"So is it the real deal?" Yuigahama asks happily, wanting to get that extra bit of confirmation.

"Absolutely." The wide smile on Yukino's face warms Yui's heart.

"We should get out of here now."

The two of them begin to make their way back to the stores entrance before Yukinoshita stops abruptly.

"Wait."

Yui turns.

"What's the matter?"

"Get something for yourself."

"But why?"

"To make this worth it for you."

"It's already wo-"

"Just get something." Yukino interrupts, letting out a slight chuckle. Clearly, she's in a good mood.

It doesn't take any more convincing, and Yuigahama quickly runs to one side of the store, grabs something, and then returns to Yukino.

"That was fast."

"I've been her before, there was something I've always wanted but could never get."

"It must be expensive."

"Money wasn't the problem…"

"Well I won't pry, you've got it now, that's what matters."

"So we can go now?"

"Sure."

* * *

 **2 Months Earlier**

Hachiman runs his fingers through his hair as he considers what to do.

"Oh my god! I think he killed him!" The man says to his friend.

"Shit we have to do something."

The assassin looks at them with a bored expression before walking over to the duffle bag. He takes out some of the clothes and begins pulling them apart, tearing the material into long strips. He then reaches into the bag and pulls out his MAC-11 subcompact machine pistol.

"Holy shit!"

He ignores their reactions and uses the strap attached to the gun to keep it around his side.

"What are you gonna do with that, dude?"

Hikigaya continues to pay no attention to their questions as he grabs one of the mans hands and uses the ripped-up clothing to tie him up. He does the same to the other man. Despite being quite vocal they put up no fight.

Once they're hands are bound, he gags them and ties them to their seats, making sure they can't get up. He does the same to the sleeping old man and the unconscious Rie Takahashi. The two men make a bit of noise but their gags do the trick.

After he is certain everyone is properly restrained Hikigaya goes up to the train carriage door and opens it, he then breaks off the handle on the other side and locks it, meaning no one from the other carriages can get into first-class.

Moments later he walks over to the emergency exit right at the back of the carriage, opens the door and heads out onto the small platform, placing his hands on the railing. He looks down and sees the train tracks. At the speed the train is moving you can barely make out the individual rails. The assassin turns around and feels the wind blow against his face pushing his hair right back. A small ladder leading to the roof of the train catches his attention and he uses it to ascend from the small platform.

Once on the roof, Hikigaya crawls on all fours doing his best to stay balanced against the powerful wind knocking him back. As he crawls he sees two other men on top of the train, dressed in black combat gear and wearing flak jackets. He sighs and gets ready for another fight.

* * *

 **Present Day Kiroku Mall – 17:16**

As the two girls exit the store Yukinoshita takes out her purse and leaves a large sum of yen on the counter, more than enough to pay for the Rockstar Pan-san and whatever item Yuigahama picked.

"Hey! What you doing here!?" A man yells out, seeing the broken glass and raised shutters.

The man is wearing a white shirt with black pants. He has a baton on his hip and a cap that reads "Mall Security". Thinking fast Yukino grabs Yui's hand and begins to run away. The overweight security guard attempts to put up a chase but ends up slipping on one of the wet floors and knocks the wind out of himself.

"Officer down! Off-Officer down!" He yells into his radio as he tries to catch his breath. "Hey is this thing working?"

Yuigahama continues to run through the mall as she is led by Yukino. They quickly get to the large revolving doors and are soon out the shopping centre and in the parking lot. So as to not draw any attention, they shift into a fast-walk rather than a run.

"Hey, won't that man call other guards?" Yui asks anxiously.

"No, I disabled their communications link earlier. We're fine."

"You're amazing!"

Yukinoshita releases the young girls hand, and they begin to walk normally. Just then the dark clouds begin to rumble slightly and small amounts of rain start hitting the ground around them. They put their schoolbags over their heads, as the rain pours harder and harder.

"There's McDonalds over there!" Yuigahama says pointing to the fast-food restaurant.

"What did you say?!" Yukino yells back, unable to hear well in the rain.

"LET'S GO OVER THERE!" She shouts and points at the restaurant again.

Yukinoshita nods before the two of them run towards the McDonalds getting soaked along the way.

 _ **DING**_

As the door opens a small bell goes off. The two girls find a booth and sit next to each other on one side, putting their bags on the other. A few more people seeking shelter from the rain enter the restaurant.

Yuigahama begins to giggle, then laugh hard. Yukino sees this and smiles, then begins to laugh herself.

"That was crazy…" Yui says in between giggles.

"I suppose."

They smile at each other, then the brown-haired girl moves close to Yukinoshita, pressing their arms together.

"What are you doing?" She asks slightly concerned.

Yuigahama ignores her and places her head on Yukinos shoulder and closes her eyes. She decides to allow it, given the afternoon they've had.

"So Yukinoshita, are we friends now?" Yui asks, eyes still closed.

The wealthy-girl looks out the window, as the raindrops drip down blurring the carpark outside.

"I'd say we are."

"Can I call you by your first name then?"

"Sure."

They sit in silence for a bit, listening to the various customers placing orders and chatting amongst themselves.

"I'm glad I can trust you, Yukinon."

There is more silence for several seconds.

"I'm glad I can trust you too, Yui."

The moment is nice and savoured, however in the back of Yukino's mind she is praying that she hasn't made a terrible mistake.

* * *

 **Authors Notes:** Hope you liked this little arc with Yui and Yukino, it was a ton of fun to write. Hachiman and Shizuka will return in Chapter 19 next week!


	19. Meeting - Part 1

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: After Hiratsuka explains her situation with the police, Hachiman determines that the person who called him at the warehouse is interfering in his mission further. Yukino and Yui take their relationship to the next level and officially become friends. In the past storyline Hikigaya kills the first assassin seeking out the handbag, before heading to the roof of the train. What will happen next? Find out!

* * *

 **Friday - Sobu High School – Lunch Time**

 _ **BANG**_

The door to the almost empty classroom makes a loud noise as a teacher barges in, with a tired student trailing behind her.

"I told you to knock before entering." Yukinoshita says with an annoyed expression.

"You did say that Yukino."

It sounds as if the sentence should go on, but the older woman decides to end it there.

"May I help you with something?"

"Actually ye-" Shizuka abruptly stops speaking, and gets a puzzled look on her face as she sees someone sitting next to her student.

"Hello Hiratsuka-sensei!" Yuigahama says waving her hand with a big smile on her face.

"Hello Yuigahama... What are you doing here with Yukino?"

Hikigaya slowly walks through the doorway before leaning against the wall, with an annoyed expression similar to that of his female peer.

"Yukinon and I are friends now!" She says as she locks arms with the wealthy-girl.

The teacher looks at the previously anti-social Yukinoshita even more puzzled than before.

"Really?"

"I don't know why you sound like you're in such disbelief, Hiratsuka. You have been telling me to make a friend, and now I have. A few days ago, Yui and I bonded over our mutual love of geopolitical economics and how the Japanese government chooses to manage their finances."

This is not true, in reality a few days the two of them broke into a store and stole a limited-edition Rockstar Pan-san doll, then fled into the pouring rain. Of course, Yukino can't tell her teacher this, so she chooses to lie.

"Umm… Okay?" Shizuka sounds more confused than convinced.

"Hey Hikki!" Yui says once again waving her hand.

"Hi."He responds, emotionless as ever.

"Hiratsuka, why have you dragged this 'person' in here? When the semester started we agreed I wouldn't have to look after him, no?"

The teachers puzzled look begins to fade, and she chooses to accept that her student actually found a friend.

"Yes I remember Yukino, I'm not here about that. The school board has asked me to help with a big festival that we are organizing for Christmas. They want to make it the biggest festival Sobu High has ever had."

"Are you sure you can handle that kind of responsibility?" Yukino asks with slight grin.

"Bold of you to assume they would even give me that kind of responsibility." Hiratsuka retorts. "They're only letting me be in charge of a couple booths that the student council is putting together. On top of that, I also have to man one booth myself, which will be selling food and drinks during the second night of the two-day festival."

"Sounds like a lot of work." Yuigahama says with a worried look.

"It will be, that's why I've come here to tell Yukino that she'll be helping me, along with Hikigaya."

She gestures towards him, then looks back at the two girls.

"I'm assuming I have no choice in the matter?" Yukinoshita asks, already knowing the answer.

"That's right."

"Well in that case, Yui will help as well."

"That would be up to Yuigahama, not you Yukino."

"We're friends now, so we do everything together. Isn't that right?" She asks, turning and facing the young girl.

"That's right!" Yui says as she gives her teacher a thumbs up.

"Great. Me, Hikigaya, Yuigahama and Yukino. I like that team up!"

Hachiman rolls his eyes at his teacher's choice of words, before walking over to one end of classroom, grabbing a chair then placing it by the table in the middle of the room and promptly sitting down.

* * *

 **2 Months Earlier**

The wind is loud and almost deafening when coupled with the engine. Hikigaya does his best to ignore it as he slowly stands up, attempting to not get knocked off the roof of the fast-moving train.

He begins to walk forward, one step at a time. Eventually he gets used to the constant push-back, and movement becomes easier. The two men up ahead are dressed in baggy grey pants, combat boots and dark black jackets along with bullet-proof vests. Their faces are covered with ski masks and they each have a duffel bag on their back.

'They probably dropped on the train via helicopter and were planning to use the emergency exit to enter into first-class and get the bag off my target.'

One of them sees Hikigaya and points, alerting the other man. They both start walking towards him along the roof of the moving train. The assassin is tempted to grab his machine pistol and fire at them both, but the sound of gunfire may cause the train driver to request police wait for them at the next stop.

As the distance between Hikigaya and the two men closes, he reaches into his blazer pocket and pulls out the small knife he used to cut the straps off of Rie's handbag earlier. The two-man team act in a similar fashion and pull out a small rod from the holsters on the leg. They flick a button and a thirty-centimetre blade extends out.

'That's expensive equipment.' The assassin thinks to himself, almost admiring the weaponry.

A few moments later he gets a much closer look, as one of the men runs towards him and slashes the knife right up to his face. Hikigaya dodges it, but only barely. He quickly takes his knife and jabs it towards the man. Due to it's small size, it barley grazes the intended target.

'I could go for my karambit right about now…'

A few seconds pass and the operative tries to cut him once again but fails when the assassin grabs him by the wrist and jabs the blade into his shoulder. In most cases, a scream to let out the pain would come about now, but the man simply closes his eyes and holds it in, then kicks Hikigaya in the stomach and pushes him away. Hachiman is impressed, and watches as the man backs up and his partner takes his place.

They look at each other for a moment and nod. The two men are co-ordinated and act similarly to Hikigaya and Black Tiger. The wounded man pulls out a plaster and quickly covers the knife wound in his arm while Hachiman is focused on the other operative.

 _ **SLASH**_

The new man fights no differently than his partner., attempting to cut his opponent from a distance. The fight is slow-paced like a game of chess. Fast movements would be fatal for all three of them due to the speed of the train. None can afford to lose their balance for even a moment.

* * *

 **Present Day – Apartment Rooftop – 18:37**

For the whole of lunch period Yukinoshita, Yuigahama, Hikigaya and Hiratsuka discussed different ways they could make their stall at the Christmas festival unique.

Yui's ideas were grand in scale and therefore very expensive. The first thing she recommended was that they have a chocolate fountain before she realized some people may not like chocolate, so she said they should have a vanilla fountain as well. Within about a minute she decided that there should be a different fountain for each flavour. Hiratsuka almost didn't have the heart to reject idea however Hikigaya and Yukinoshita were more than forthcoming with how ridiculous Yui's plans are.

They came up with many other ideas and made a list of decorations and foods they would need. The school gave the teacher a budget to stick to, but the items they wanted ended up exceeding the price slightly. Yukino said she'd help out with the extra money. Hiratsuka was happy with this solution but Yuigahama insisted that they all chip in to pay.

Hikigaya stayed silent for most of the planning, offering only a few ideas and snide remarks regarding the stupidity of having a festival at all. Eventually lunch ended, and they agreed they would meet after school on Monday to discuss this further. After school Hachiman went to Shizuka's office and did his homework there. They exchanged a few words, and it was a very regular afternoon.

Once Hachiman got back to the safehouse he took a short nap, then made a call to someone. Not long after that, he walked over to an apartment block, and took the stairs to the roof. This is where he is now. Sitting with his feet dangling off the edge and watching the cars down below. He hears some footsteps behind him and turns around, seeing Rorona - a fit Asian-American man with short dark hair and a clean shaven face - dressed in jeans and a black jacket.

"You're late."

"Sorry, had to put on my makeup and shave my legs for you. Remember when you shot one of them a couple weeks ago?"

Hikigaya sighs at the comment as the older man sits down with him on the ledge.

"Anything to report?"

"Yeah, I've been following Shizuka Hiratsuka around like you told me to and I started noticing this guy recently. He wears sunglasses and a suit, real discreet you know?"

The assassin reaches into his pocket and takes out his phone. He quickly goes through his gallery before clicking play on the video of the man following Hiratsuka around at the zoo.

"Is this him?" Hachiman asks as he shows the phone screen to Rorona.

"Definitely. You told me to get in contact with my former employers? Well that was a bust. I assumed this guy was with them but didn't want to make any moves before speaking to you."

"Good choice."

"So what do you want me to do? I can go bag him if you like. All things considered I'm pretty good at that kind of stuff"

The assassin considers it for a moment, then starts nodding.

"Sounds good to me." Hikigaya says as he gets off the ledge and walks towards the roof door.

"Wait… What sounds good?"

"Let's go 'bag' the guy, as you said."

"Right now? With you?"

"I've been itching to do more field work lately."

Rorona sighs and catches up to Hikigaya.

"Whatever you say."

* * *

 **2 Months Earlier**

 _ **SLASH**_

 _ **SLASH**_

 _ **SLASH**_

Soon both men are on Hikigaya attempting to kill him. The assassin deflects most of their attacks, but sustains a few cuts to his arms.

 _ **CRACK**_

Hikigaya gets lucky, as one of the men loses his balance and extends his body too far. He doesn't waste a moment and uses the opportunity to break the operatives arm and take his weapon. This time the man screams and drops to his knees. A swift kick to the face knocks him off the moving the train and he hits the ground very hard. His partner goes on as if it never happened and attempts to stab Hikigaya in the throat, however it's futile as Hachiman is now armed with the same knife and easily blocks the attack.

They continue to exchange blows before the assassin's opponent gets behind him, and kicks the back of Hikigaya's leg, causing him to kneel down. The man raises the knife and thrusts it towards Hikigaya. He quickly turns around in an attempt to block the attack.

"Ugh!"

As he lifts his arm he feels a sharp pain in his shoulder, no doubt from the bullet wound. It distracts Hachiman and he loses focus, causing the knife to go right into his forearm.

"AHHH!" He yells out as he feels the blood begin to drip down.

The man removes the knife and raises it in the air, ready to stab the assassin again. Hachiman charges at his opponent and tackles him down onto the roof of the train. Now on top of him, Hikigaya hits the man in the face with his left hand and holds him down with his injured right arm.

The older of the two struggles attempting the get the knife into Hikigaya's exposed throat, but it's to no avail. The assassin continues hitting him in the head, hoping to knock the guy out. Unfortunately, a knee to his stomach foils this plan as Hachiman's wind gets knocked out of him. The man grabs him by the neck and throws him to the side.

Hikigaya is about to the roll off of the train but luckily reaches out and grabs a part of the roof. The operative begins to stand up as the assassin dangles off the side. Blood from his forearm drips down onto his face obscuring his vision. He attempts to shake it off, but that only disorientates him further. From inside the train a small child sitting at a window seat sees two legs swaying from side to side.

"Mommy! Mommy! There's a man outside the window!"

"Yes honey, okay…" The older woman sighs and ignores her son as she looks through her Instagram feed.

Hachiman takes a deep breath and begins to pull himself up, pushing through the pain. By now the man has stood up and grabbed his weapon. He sees the assassin almost back on the train and starts walking towards him, knife at the ready.

'Shit… Shit… Shit! Shit!'

The man stands over Hikigaya and pants softly. He spreads his legs apart, getting a strong stance before raising the knife once again. Hikigaya sees his opportunity and uses all his might to pull himself back onto the roof and quickly rolls under the mans legs. He then grabs the knife he dropped and jabs it into his opponent's foot. The man loses his balance and begins to stumble around unable to stand on both legs. The assassin watches as the operative falls backwards off the side of the train and meets the same fate as his partner.

A celebratory giggle escapes Hachiman's lips as he clutches his bleeding forearm, whilst panting from exhaustion.

* * *

 **Present Day – Chiba Streets – 18:55**

"So I was thinking… About money."

Hikigaya turns his head and looks at Rorona. The two of them are standing in an alleyway opposite from Hiratsuka's apartment, staring at an open parking spot.

"You were thinking about money?" The younger of the two asks as he raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah, like payment you know?"

The assassin looks away from the man and back at the street.

"Payment for what?"

"Well, I've been following around Hiratsuka, collecting information, doing busywork for you. I just feel like I deserve some compensation."

"See if _McDonalds_ is hiring then."

Rorona chuckles.

"Yeah I would but I don't think they'd hire me. I didn't start doing mercenary work because it's fun you know? I started because I needed the money. I got payed half upfront to capture you, but I never ended up getting the rest. All I'm saying is I feel like I'm owed something."

"I could've let you bleed out back at the warehouse. Saving your life should be enough."

"Yeah well, that kind of payment aint gonna feed my kid."

Hachiman groans and continues to watch the parking space.

"I'll think about it."

"Thanks. It's hard to find jobs you know… Especially when you come back from the mili-"

"Rorona, you can tell me another time. This is business." He says interrupting.

"Yeah okay."

As their conversation comes to a halt, a black van drives up into the parking space.

"There he is, let's go."

The two of them hurry across the street towards the vehicle. Hachiman heads to the back while Rorona comes up to the drivers window.

 _ **KNOCK**_

 _ **KNOCK**_

"Hey sorry buddy, I need some directions can you help me out?" The older of the two says as he tries to get the drivers attention.

The man in the car rolls down his window.

"Sorry, I'm bu-"

A punch to the nose cuts him off, and Rorona quickly reaches in through the window and hits the 'Unlock All Doors' switch right next to the radio. The vehicle's lights flash and there is a clicking sound on all the handles. Hachiman opens the two back doors and climbs into the van.

At this point the driver (still sitting in his seat) has started tussling with Rorona, but that is soon put to an end as Hikigaya pulls out a CZ 75 handgun and places it up against the back of the mans head. The driver stops struggling and raises his arms to surrender. The assassin pats him down and pulls a gun out of the holster on his waist. Once disarmed, Hikigaya grabs the man buy his collar and pulls him into the back of the van while Rorona gets into the front seat.

The vehicle is large enough for Hachiman to sit on one side with his gun trained on the former driver that is now sitting on the other side. Rorona turns the key in the ignition and begins to drive the van down the street.

"Do you have a phone on you?" Hikigaya asks the suited man.

"Yes." He replies gritting his teeth.

"Good. Give your employer a call. I'd like to meet with them. Tonight."

* * *

 **Authors Notes and the like:** Thanks to all the people who review each chapter! I love seeing your theories :D Chapter 20 will be up next week!


	20. Meeting - Part 2

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: Hikigaya defeats two more assassins, but sustains a serious injury to his arm, whilst in the present he and Rorona capture the man following around Hiratsuka, and tell him to get in contact with his boss.

* * *

 **Friday Night - Yukino's Apartment – 20:09**

The young girl unlocks her bathroom door and walks out into the living room. Currently she has towel wrapped around her wet hair and is wearing a turquoise bath robe with matching slippers. Yukinoshita sits down on her sofa and picks the television remote up off the coffee table.

 _ **BLINK**_

The click of a button causes the TV screen to light up, revealing a rerun of _Bakemonogatari_ to be playing. She clicks a different button on the remote and switches to the news. As a woman in a red dress reads the weather report, Yukino hears her phone beep. She grabs the device and unlocks it. The notification reads: _"Wat up."_

Yukinoshita frowns and opens up the chat to reply.

"Dear Yui, I told you not to message me after 19:30. P.S. Please refrain from using improper grammar. Regards, Yukino Yukinoshita."

Satisfied with the text, the dark-haired girl hits send and places her phone down.

A few moments later it beeps again and Yukino frowns harder.

 _"Lol. Lame."_

She shakes her head at the response.

"Dear Yui, my message was not humorous. Just because we are now friends, does not mean you are exempt from basic texting etiquette. I will only make exceptions during emergencies, so unless your life is in endanger please reread the PDF document with the list of texting rules I sent you on Thursday. Regards, Yukino Yukinoshita."

 _"K. So wat up."_

The wealthy-girl clenches her fist, clearly upset that Yuigahama isn't following the rules for their friendship.

"Dear Yui, I have just finished taking a shower and am now watching the news to fill my daily television consumption quota, and you? Regards, Yukino Yukinoshita."

 _"About 2 fall asleep watching a movie."_

"Dear Yui, using your phone in bed before going to sleep is unhealthy. Regards, Yukino Yukinoshita."

 _"Dont wrry, I am not using my phone in bed im using it on the couch so its fine."_

"Dear Yui, that's not how that works. Regards, Yukino Yukinoshita."

 _"K. Im tired. Gudnite uwu."_

Yukino reads the last message and concludes the conversation is now over. She locks her phone and places it on the coffee table before getting up and walking to the kitchen. While letting the news continue to play in the background, Yukinoshita flicks a switch on her kettle and opens one of the drawers to get a cup. As the water gets hotter and hotter she stares out the window waiting for it to reach boiling point. Her apartment is high up and the view is beautiful.

 _ **CLICK**_

The kettle makes a small noise indicating the water is done. She walks over to the counter and puts a teabag in her cup. As she reaches out to grab the kettle handle, Yukino hears two knocks at her door. She jumps slightly before letting out a sigh and walking over to the entrance to her apartment and looking through the peephole. An all too familiar face greets her and Yukino promptly unlocks and opens the door.

"Good evening Haruno."

The older of the two is currently wearing a dark-red turtle neck over a black dress that goes to below her knees. In each of her hands she holds a large black duffle bag.

"Hello, Yukino." She responds, smiling widely.

* * *

 **2 Months Earlier**

The assassin makes his way over the roof to the front of the train. His previous two fights have left him cut up and in pain but he powers through. As he reaches the front carriage, he grabs onto a small hatch and pulls it.

'Locked. Damn it.'

Hikigaya expected no less. This hatch leads into the employees only room and is the safest route to get to the train driver. It's possible one of the other men hired to collect the handbag Hachiman has on him will kill the driver in order to stop the train. Hikigaya has to make sure this doesn't happen and that the train arrives on schedule.

After pulling the handle on the hatch a few more times, he remembers the keys he found in his blazer pocket. He takes them out and finds the one that fits in the lock on the hatch. A few moments later he unlocks it and pulls on it again, this time successfully opening it. He then uses a small ladder to climb from the roof back into the train.

It takes a moment for Hachiman to readjust himself to the lack of pressure hitting him. He feels slightly nauseous and leans against the ladder. Once he recollects himself, he looks around. The room he is in is small and has a bunch of crates. Most of the boxes are shut, but a few have the tops open revealing bottles of wine inside. The only light in the room is coming from a door which is opened slightly. He pushes the door forward and walks out into the lit up room. There are several wooden chairs and lockers placed about.

'The two carriages up front are reserved for employees. This must be a break room, which means the driver would be in the one right up ahead.'

Hikigaya looks to the side at the entrance to the front carriage, before something catches his attention. He looks down and sees the female train attendant he met earlier. She is lying on the floor unconscious, holding the bottle of wine he put the knockout liquid into.

'She must've taken a sip for herself.'

He walks over to her and picks the woman up, then drags her body over to one of the chairs and sits her down on it. While considering what to do next he slowly backs away from the lady before feeling a needle press against his neck and a hand grab onto his shoulder. Hachiman's movement comes to a halt, and he sighs in defeat.

"Sodium thiopental, pancuronium bromide and potassium chloride."

The man behind Hikigaya lists the contents of the syringe as if it's a homemade soup.

"Do you know what that is?" He asks, speaking with a British accent.

"Lethal injection." Hikigaya answers diligently.

"Correct. I assume you were hired to collect the handbag as well?"

"Yes."

"I see. My apologies then, sir. It appears I'm going to have to kill you."

Hachiman rolls his eyes and realises the man was probably hiding behind one of the crates, waiting for him.

"I've met British assassins before, you guys always love to speak. If you're going to kill someone then just get it done."

The man chuckles.

"You're right. It's probably the most inexplicable thing about us. Regarding the injection: I suggest not fighting back. If you hold still, it'll be quick and painless."

"Lucky you." Hikigaya responds quietly.

The operative leans in closer, not properly hearing the response.

"Excuse m-"

Hikigaya throws his head back, hitting the British man in the nose. He quickly turns around as the man reaches for his pistol. The assassin grabs his arm and pushes the syringe into the side of the mans neck and injects him with the poison. There is a short struggle before the man drops to ground with his gun barely half-way out the holster. Hachiman looks at the weapon for a moment before kneeling down and picking it up.

'Silenced. Perfect.'

* * *

 **Present Day – Yukino's Apartment – 20:23**

"Three sugars, almond milk. Just how you like it."

Yukinoshita extends her arm and hands a warm cup of tea to her older sister.

"You're too kind Yukino." She responds in her usual half-sarcastic tone of voice.

The younger of the two sits down across from Haruno.

"So, you're probably wondering why I'm here again?"

"Yes." Yukino answers apprehensively.

"Well I have good news and more good news. I'm a bona fide Santa Claus don't you think?"

The dark-haired girl stays silent.

"Ugh… You're always so serious. You need to lighten up Yukino. Do you have a boyfriend yet? I really feel like yo-"

"Will you please just tell me why you're here…"

Her older sister chuckles and takes a sip of the tea.

"We found him. Father and I found the assassin who killed Uncle." Haruno says candidly.

Yukinoshita's blood runs cold and her stomach drops.

"R-Really?"

"Yep. Father was adamant he do it himself, but he wasn't going to get anything done without me."

"Where is he?!"

"Father? He's probably out at dinner right now."

"I meant where is the assassin!" She says with an annoyed tone, knowing her sister is teasing her.

"Don't jump the gun Yukino. You're not curious to know _how_ I found him?

"Fine. How did you find him?"

Haruno smiles.

"I'm so glad you asked! It was quite a process, so I'll keep it short. It all comes down to a woman named Shizuka Hiratsuka."

Yukinoshita's eyes widen.

"I believe that the assassin who killed Uncle has been hired to _protect_ this Shizuka Hiratsuka person."

"Why do you think that?" Yukino asks anxiously, having the mention of her teachers name throw her off.

"The first thing I did when trying to find this elusive assassin was look for jobs with his modus operandi." Haruno continues to speak, not directly answering the question. "It was difficult but eventually I found a few that I was certain he was involved in. A job in South Africa from a few years ago, our uncle's assassination, an incident in Russia and a few more. I looked for individual elements from these jobs and then cross referenced them with police reports. It was a long shot but eventually I got a hit. Shizuka Hiratsuka -your language teacher- was involved in a failed robbery a few weeks ago."

'Hiratsuka was robbed?' Yukino asks herself. 'She never said anything to me about this.'

"The three boys who tried to rob her ran away, so I tracked one of their phones to a warehouse that was currently not being used. On her statement to the police Hiratsuka said she fought off the boys, but it seemed fishy to me so I kept an eye on her. At this point I was looking into several leads so I only put a little bit of my attention on the teacher. If this assassin really did intervene in the robbery then he'd likely go after the robbers to finish the job. As predicted he came after them and I quickly hired two men to go capture him but that didn't exactly work out. He easily eliminated one of them and then got the other one working for him."

Haruno leans back and sighs as her sister processes the information.

"I did get to speak to him though, through one of the boys' phones. It was only for a moment as he ended the call pretty fast. So I came up with a new plan, and you might not like this part."

Yukino looks at her sister with a worried expression.

"I made an anonymous tip to a news station and then to the police, telling them that the person who helped Hiratsuka was actually this high profile assassin and that she clearly lied on her statement. This information put your teacher in a very negative light and could get her in a lot of trouble. Like proper jail-time trouble. The police have also been trying to get this guy, so they took the tip very seriously."

The young girls worried look is soon replaced with one of anger.

"How could you do such a thing?! You've put Hiratsuka's life in danger and you don't even care!"

"Calm down Yukino. It's all part of the plan. I knew the assassin wouldn't let the woman he is protecting just get arrested and that he'd try and get in contact with me sooner or later. Well, once again I was right, and the man I had follow Hiratsuka around gave me a call thirty minutes ago. He said he is with the assassin right now and that he wants to meet, tonight. Obviously I accepted, and we agreed that I get the police off Hiratsuka's back if he gives me the name of the man who hired him to kill Uncle."

"And if he doesn't give you the name?"

"I'm confident he will. You don't need to worry, I won't let anything happen to your precious teacher."

Yukino calms down.

"You said the assassin wants to meet tonight. Are you going to send a team in?"

"No. That hasn't worked out very well so far. I'm going to meet him myself."

"Take me with you." Yukinoshita says with determination. "I want to see the man who killed Uncle."

Her older sister smiles.

"Are you sure you can handle it? This stuff clearly makes you very emotional."

"I can handle it."

Haruno slowly nods and stands up then grabs one of the duffle bags she brought.

"I thought you might want to join me, so I came prepared."

She throws her sister the bag. Yukino promptly unzips it and finds a ski-mask along with combat boots, baggy grey pants, a black jacket and a bulletproof vest.

"Let's get changed. When we're done we'll go to the meetup."

The young girl takes a deep breath and mentally prepares herself for the rest of the night.

* * *

 **2 Months Earlier**

Hachiman finds some duct tape in a draw and uses it as a makeshift bandage for his forearm. It's a crude solution but it does the job. He then sits down on one of the wooden chairs and clicks the small button on his earpiece.

"You there?" He asks into the microphone whilst feeling a wave of exhaustion hit him.

 _"Yes. Is everything going okay?"_

He looks at the dead operative lying awkwardly on the ground with a needle in his neck.

"All things considered? Yeah, it's going great. I've got the handbag, and I've dealt with a couple of the men sent to retrieve it. The train is still moving and the civilians don't know what's going on. I did have to lock down first-class though."

 _"You're everything your file says you are then. Once the train gets to the next stop, we'll have someone escort you to an evac vehicle. Just try and survive until then."_

"Will do."

 _"Signing out."_

He taps the button on the earpiece once again and then takes the handbag out of his jacket.

'Let's see what all the fuss is about…'

After unclipping the top, he reaches inside and feels around a few items. Hikigaya then begins pulling them out one by one.

'Perfume, a doctors note and a train ticket.'

They all seem rather normal to him, so he goes deeper. He scratches at the bottom of the bag before noticing a loose flap. Hachiman tugs on the flap slightly and finds a USB hidden under it. The assassin looks around, hoping to get lucky and see a laptop. Hikigaya's employer probably wouldn't be very happy if he went through the contents of the memory stick however he's a bit less trusting since his last mission, and feels the sense of curiosity getting the best of him. Regardless there is no laptop or computer, so whatever is so valuable remains a mystery.

After returning the USB to the handbag, he stands up and walks over to the entrance to the next carriage.

'There could still be… Multiple assassins on this train. I should stay closer... To the driver...'

He clutches onto the silenced pistol as his mind starts to go blank.

'Shit. Blood loss… Making me tired…'

Struggling to stay awake, Hachiman drops to his knees.

 ** _THUMP_**

A moment later his unconscious body hits the floor.

* * *

 **Authors Notes:** Looks like Yukino is finally going to meet the man who killed her beloved uncle. Chapter 21 will be up next week!


	21. Meeting - Part 3

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: One year ago Hikigaya was sent into New York City to assassinate a man going by the alias Haru Kaito. The target was staying in a well protected gang hideout, but it was no issue for Hachiman.

After assassinating his target and blowing up the building, police determined it was a squad of people who did the job. The target in question was none other than Yukino Yukinoshita's uncle, who she cared about very much. Recently new information about his murder had come to light, revealing it was not a squad but one man who killed Kaito. After finding out about this, Yukino reluctantly told her language teacher Shizuka Hiratsuka about the new information, mainly because she needed to get it off her chest but also because last year when her uncle died, Yukino had confided in her teacher, and thought it would be disrespectful not to update her on the situation.

She explained that her father was going to track down this assassin and get the name of the man who hired him to kill Kaito. Hiratsuka warned against this, which greatly upset the young girl. Some time later Haruno did find the single assassin who orchestrated the hit. Using questionable means, she got in contact with him and over the phone the two of them agreed to meet later tonight and settle things once and for all.

* * *

 **Friday Night – Unmarked Van – 19:04**

Hikigaya opens the back doors and throws the tied up operative out into the street.

"Walk for a bit, I'm sure you'll find someone to help you." He says as the vehicle begins to drive away.

The man shoots Hachiman a dirty look before standing up and shaking the dust from the sidewalk off his suit. Back in the van, the assassin climbs into the passenger seat next to Rorona and begins to speak.

"We're meeting up with your former employer in a few hours. Some preparation would be in order."

The older of the two keeps his eyes on the road as they drive.

"Are you sure it's safe? I mean this person seems to have a lot of power. It could be an ambush."

"The deal is that we meet face-to-face, I give them the name of the person who hired me to kill some guy in New York and then they'll leave my target and I alone. They sounded sincere on the phone, but I'm not naïve enough to put my faith in strangers."

"So what do you propose we do?"

"There's a building in a not-so-good neighbourhood close to the meetup site. Some guys have been using it to sell firearms to gangs. I say we head there and arm ourselves."

"Okay, okay. I like that idea."

Hikigaya tells Rorona the address and they make U-turn, heading in that direction. After about thirty-minutes of driving, graffitied walls begin to become more frequent and quite a few people can be seen standing around dumpster fires. Some cars have their back windows shattered, and lots of the structures have bullet holes them.

"Damn this place is shitty." Rorona says while looking at a couple of guys in bandannas walking down the street.

"Don't get jumpy."

"You kidding? Neighbourhoods like this make me feel nostalgic for my childhood. This is my element, if anything."

"Great."

The van pulls up next to a building with a wide metal door, boarded up windows and some gang signs sprayed about. Hikigaya and Rorona get out and walk up to the entrance.

 _ **KNOCK**_

 _ **KNOCK**_

"Do you have any idea what we're getting?" The older of the two asks as they bang their fists on the metal.

"Remington Model 700 Sniper Rifle, a few Beretta 92's and if they have one: an M4 Carbine."

A man in a sleeveless-vest opens the door and gives the two of them a curious look.

"That sounds expensive." Rorona says to Hachiman chuckling. "Are you sure you have enough cash to pay."

"Who said anything about paying?"

The assassin reaches behind his back, pulls out a handgun, then shoots the man in front of them in his leg.

"AGH!" He screams as he drops to the ground.

"You're literally the most insane person I've ever met…" Rorona comments with a sigh as they walk over the man.

"Noted."

Two other men - dressed similarly - run around the corner only to meet the same fate. As they roll around on the floor Hikigaya finds a large room filled with guns.

"Grab everything, then let's get going."

He takes a large sack and begins throwing firearms into it. The older of the two shakes his head as he looks at all the guns.

"Are you sure this is okay? I mean... Shit."

"They're arms dealers, it's not like they're going to go to the police. Plus if anything we're doing Chiba a favour by getting these weapons off the street."

Rorona scoffs and begins grabbing guns and putting them in his sack.

"I better be getting payed for this."

"Do you ever stop complaining?"

* * *

 **2 Months Earlier**

Hikigaya's eyes begin to flutter open as he hears two voices.

"Are they breathing?"

"This one's been poisoned. Definitely dead."

"And the other two?"

"I checked the ladies pulse. Alive. Unconscious. Same as the boy over here."

The assassin stays still and continues to listen as he feels the blood leaking through the duct tape.

"Well he had the handbag on him, let's just get out of here."

"We gotta finish it man, put him down permanently. No loose ends."

"He's unconscious. Plus I'm pretty sure he's just a kid. We've got the package let's go."

'This must be the last group of men sent to get the handbag.'

"It's not up for debate. Take his gun and shoot him."

The man sighs and reaches down next to Hikigaya's body to grab the pistol. He is more than shocked when the seemingly unconscious boy grabs his arm. Hachiman quickly pulls himself up, using the operative for balance. The other man sees this and raises his gun firing two silenced shots. Instead of hitting the intended target, they hit the mans partner.

"AGH! You shot me in my ass!"

"I meant to shoot him!"

The assassin gets behind the now wounded man and uses him as a shield. He places his hands around his neck indicating he could snap it at any moment.

"Okay we surrender!" The wounded man says as blood starts dripping down to his feet.

"What? No we don't! We're in charge here!" His partner yells aiming the gun at Hikigaya. Currently they are about four metres away from each other.

"The hell do you mean we're in charge? I'm bleeding... From my ASS!"

Both men are wearing cheap grey suits and have sneakers on.

"Just shut up Michael!"

"Don't say my damn name shithead!"

Hikigaya groans at their behaviour, still trying to get his head together after momentarily losing consciousness. A few seconds later he begins speaking.

"You know for a package that's so important, you guys seem a bit in over your heads…"

"Well yeah I mean we're not all pros."

"How about you lower your gun and I let you and your partner here go back to the train carriage you came from, then once we get to the next stop we go our separate ways?"

"No deal. We need that handbag. The bounty is huge."

"Just take the deal… I need a doctor or something…" His injured partner interjects.

"You better decide quick, because my hands are getting restless."

Hikigaya applies some pressure to the man's neck.

"You may have my partner, but I have a gun on you. The odds seem in our favour don't they?"

"I suppose, but then again: There's a silenced pistol lying on the floor next to me, and I reckon I could snap your friends neck and shoot you with that gun before you can do anything about it."

The man takes a deep breathe.

"I think you're bluffing."

"You really want to take that bet?"

There is a long pause as they stare intently into each others eyes. Eventually the man slowly lowers his gun.

"Good choice." Hachiman says before throwing the wounded man at his partner as a distraction and rolling to the side, grabbing the pistol. He raises it and fires two shots.

* * *

 **Present Day – Parking Garage – 00:03**

A shiny black Zagato Alfa Romeo sports car with tinted windows and no number plates pulls up at the top of the empty parking garage. Haruno - the driver - ignores the lines painted on the ground and stops the car at the position she feels is most comfortable for her. The area is dark and illuminated only by the front and back car lights. Inside the vehicle Yukino sits next to her sister, both fully dressed in combat gear with their hair tied back.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?' Haruno asks.

"I've been waiting a year for justice. I'm ready."

"The way you phrase that sentence suggests you aren't. We're only here to speak to the man, nothing else."

Yukinoshita nods.

"As long as we keep our cool this will go smoothly."

The older of the two reaches down into the side of her seat, grabs something, then pulls it out. The item in question is .50 caliber Desert Eagle. It makes a loud noise as Haruno inserts a magazine into the bottom and checks the safety. She then puts it on her sisters lap.

"What is this for?"

"Just in case."

"In case of what?"

"In case you need to defend yourself, properly."

"I don't need you worrying about me Haruno, and even if I did: A hand-canon seems like overkill." Yukino says snidely.

"Don't get cocky, Princess. This man is extremely dangerous. You're lucky I'm even allowing you to be here."

"I'm here of my own accord. I can do what I want."

Haruno chuckles.

"Whatever you say…"

They sit in silence for some time before Yukinoshita changes the subject.

"No matter what happens tonight I need you to make a promise to me, Haruno."

"Oh really, and what is this promise?"

Yukino takes a deep breathe.

"I need to know you'll stop interfering with Shizuka Hiratsuka's life."

"Why do you even care? Do you have a little crush on your teacher?"

"It's not like that. She's a good woman, not a pawn in your stupid games. Just leave her out of this from now on."

"This 'stupid game' as you call it, that I am playing right now, is so that you and Father can get some closure over Uncles death. Personally, I don't care either way. He was a traitor to our family. All this is out of the kindness of my heart, so be a little appreciative."

The younger of the two sighs and leans back in her seat.

"Thank you for tracking the assassin down, and arranging this."

"You're welcome Yukino."

They sit in silence for a bit longer before Haruno sees a man dressed in all black and in a balaclava start walking towards their vehicle from the other end of the car park.

"There he is..."

The Yukinoshita sisters put on their ski masks and get out the car, ready to finally face the assassin.

* * *

 **2 Months Earlier**

 _ **PSEW**_

 _ **PSEW**_

The smell of gunpowder further fills the employees only carriage as Hikigaya fires two shots from the British agent's silenced weapon into the men. One in each of their legs.

"What hell man!? You said you'd let us go."

The assassin picks the handbag up off the floor.

"Yep, and I am. You guys are amateurs, stupid and dangerous."

"Gee thanks…" The one man responds clutching his leg.

"You're no danger to me though, so I'll let you live. Next time, if you go on a mission try not to get get shot. You two seem like you're prone to accidents."

"Screw you! We're gonna bleed out here…"

Hachiman walks over to the door that leads into the next train carriage. He takes out his MAC-11 and removes the magazine, then drops the gun on the floor.

"You'll be fine, I made sure not to hit anywhere near your femoral artery. The train will be stopping shortly and someone will find you."

With that, he opens up the door and walks out, leaving them alone. The sounds of restless children and exhausted adults are the first thing that greets him as he enters the next part of the train. The four parties have been taken care of, however there's the slim chance that there could be more assassins, so Hikigaya makes sure to stay in the carriage second closest to the driver.

"Hey honey what's up? I'll be home soon… Yes… Okay will do."

Hachiman sees a woman sitting alone by a window. He walks up to her and taps on her shoulder.

"Sorry, may I sit next to you? I'm having some issues getting to the other carriage and I think the attendant is busy."

This is not wholly a lie. His original seat is sealed off in first-class and the attendant is unconscious in the employees only section.

"Uhh… Yeah sure as long as you don't try and take my soup!"

The assassin looks at her with a deadpan expression.

"Just kidding haha…"

Her attempt at a joke makes things very awkward, and they sit for the remainder of ride in dead silence. Eventually the train horn goes off and the vehicle begins to slow down. The country-side out the window that was once obscured by motion blur becomes clear and the smoke from the engine fades.

Hikigaya stands up and offers a respectful smile to the lady before walking towards the exit. The rest of the passengers do the same and the sounds of people standing up and moving around becomes more than prevalent. The lights above the side doors go from orange to green as they open automatically. Hachiman's only luggage was the duffel bag he was given, which is still by his original seat, so he's off the train quicker than most. As he gets onto the platform of people waiting he begins to hear some commotion, then panicked shouting.

"There are people tied up in first-class!"

"I see a man on the floor! Is he dead?!"

"I can't open the door someone took off the handle."

Hachiman smiles to himself as he clicks the button on his ear piece.

"Mission complete. I have the package."

 _"Excellent. We'll meet you outside the station."_

"Copy that."

He continues to walk away as security guards run past him towards the train.

* * *

 **Present Day – Parking Garage - 00:15**

"Are you in position?" Hikigaya asks as he holds his cellphone up to his ear.

 _"Yep, I can see everything."_ Rorona answers, lying on another rooftop while looking through the scope of a sniper rifle. He specifically has his sights trained on the sports car that arrived about ten minutes ago.

"Alright. I'm about to make contact. Do not engage unless I tell you to."

 _"Don't worry, I've got this."_

The assassin begins to walk towards the car. He is currently dressed in all black and wearing a ski-mask. On each leg he has a Beretta holstered, along with his karambit knife. Once he is certain the people inside the car have seen him, he stops walking and stands still, letting the headlights illuminate his presence further. The doors open and the vehicles inhabitants get out, then walk to the front of the car and stand next to each other with one arm at their sides and the other on their respective firearms.

Yukino looks at the masked man standing just fifteen to twenty metres away from her. She clenches her fist as she feels her heart start beating rapidly. Hachiman quickly deducts both are woman, judging by their frames. The three of them stand in silence for several seconds before Hikigaya reaches behind his back and pulls out an envelope.

"This is the name of the man who hired me to kill Haru Kaito last year."

Haruno smiles, though it goes unseen.

"Give it to us."

"I will, but first I want to know for sure that you'll leave Shizuka Hiratsuka alone. No police, no news stations and no men following her."

"You have our word. We just want the name of your employer." Haruno says with a nod.

Yukino takes a deep breathe and memories of her uncle begin to play through her brain. She clenches her fist harder and scowls through the mask.

"Tell you me why you're protecting Shizuka Hiratsuka!" She yells out abruptly.

Both Haruno and Hikigaya look at the young girl.

'Protecting? I guess they assumed that after what happened at the warehouse.'

"Answer the question, assassin." Yukino says gritting her teeth.

"My mission isn't any of your concern."

She feels her blood begin to get hotter.

"Calm down." Haruno whispers to her sister.

The tension rises as Yukino and Hachiman stare into each other's eyes. His eyes look bored whereas hers are filled with fury. The stare is broken when the masked girl shuts her eyelids tightly and faces her head down to the ground.

'I thought the employers name would be enough, but I was wrong.' She looks up, opening her eyes. 'I want his head as well!'

Yukino let's loose and begins to sprint towards the masked assassin. She pulls out her usual weapon: A knife with a retractable blade. Hikigaya sees this and immediately recognizes the equipment. He raises his arm up, indicating he doesn't want Rorona to shoot. The older of the two continues to watch the exchange through his scope from the other rooftop.

The dark-haired girl swings the blade right at Hikigaya's face, missing only slightly. Not a moment later she jabs it towards his chest. As she does this he grabs her wrist and kicks her in the stomach. Haruno shakes her disapprovingly at her sisters lack of self-control.

Yukino grabs the assassin's foot as she feels the wind get knocked out over. She pulls up his leg and punches him in the thigh and then in the knee. He begins fall backwards, but quickly regains balance. Yukino sends the knife towards his face once again, this time connecting and cutting his cheek through the mask. Hikigaya blocks several subsequent kicks and punches from her, while getting his own attacks blocked and redirected. They fight fast and efficiently, easily keeping up with each other.

 _ **CLICK**_

The young girl pulls out her Desert Eagle and aims it right at her opponents head. Not a moment later he disarms her, and unloads the gun. The assassin then pistol whips her hard against the face. She stumbles back and he wastes no time grabbing her and putting her in a headlock. Despite clearly both being skilled fighters, Hikigaya takes the victory.

Haruno raises her arm.

"Enough! Both of you."

The two of them stop tussling and the Hikigaya lets Yukino go, pushing her away from him. The oldest of the three walks towards Hachiman and extends her arm. He pulls out the envelope and hands to her.

"Thank you. Let's go." Haruno looks at her younger sister with an annoyed expression in her eyes.

Yukinoshita - still furious - looks at Haruno then at the masked assassin. She weighs up her options before calming herself down and turning around. She begins to stomp towards the vehicle she arrived in, while Hikigaya goes off in the other direction and calls Rorona.

The man promptly answers his phone.

 _"Want me to do anything?"_

The cars engine roars as Haruno turns the keys in the ignition.

"No. They've got what they need. We'll wait a week and see what happens."

 _"Damn. I didn't even get to shoot this sweet sniper."_ Rorona says half-jokingly.

"Too bad."

 _"So what are we gonna do with all the guns in the van?"_

"You said you needed money Rorona. I'm sure you can find someone to sell them to."

 _"Thanks, you're too kind."_

"Keep following Hiratsuka for now. Make sure there are no other tails or that she doesn't go get herself into any trouble. I'll contact you when I need you."

Hikigaya ends the call before hearing the sports car behind him drive down the garage ramps. Inside the vehicle, Haruno scolds her younger sister, but Yukino's mind is some other place, as she feels the assassin was uncomfortably familiar.

* * *

 **Authors Notes:** And with that the train mission comes to an end as well as Haruno and Yukino's search for their uncles killer. But now that they have the name of the man who hired Hikigaya what will they do? Will this effect things at school? Will Hiratsuka start getting more screen time in this fanfiction ABOUT her? Find out next week in chapter 22!


	22. Reveal - Part 1

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: After deciding the boys who tried to rob Hiratsuka were loose ends, Hikigaya tracked the three would-be-criminals down to a warehouse. Before getting the chance to execute them he was ambushed by two of Haruno's men. One being Rorona and the other being his partner. Hikigaya made short work of them, using his MAX Coffee as a distraction then shooting Rorona in the leg and killing the other operative.

The ambush allowed the boys to escape and go to the police, where they ended up confessing. At this point Hikigaya decided killing them would be redundant as they'd done all the damage they could by speaking to the media. Of course at the time Haruno was still trying to track Hachiman down which led to her tipping the police off about his involvement. After this, a detective visited Shizuka explaining how serious the case has become, whilst not giving her any explicit details.

In more recent events: Yukinoshita and Hikigaya have now met and engaged in a short fight, though their true identities remain a mystery to one another, but for how long? Find out!

* * *

 **Monday – Second Period – 10:22**

Hikigaya looks down at his language work, then towards the clock. He goes on to repeat this exercise several times before yawning.

'This is a tremendous waste of time…' He thinks to himself as he silently curses Hiratsuka for giving his class this worksheet.

As if they have a telepathic link, she shoots him a dirty look from her desk. The assassin sees this and sighs at her before pointing at his textbook. She widens her eyes, as if to say "Do it or else!" Hikigaya's response is less emotive and he simply gives the older woman a dead stare. The teacher shakes her head disapprovingly at him.

Recently they've been having a conflict. Hachiman says that language work is pointless if you already speak the language, but Shizuka believes that each and every word a person says carries deep meaning and learning the nuances is as important as basic communication.

Hikigaya lethargically finishes the last few questions before looking at the clock again. Luckily the bell rings soon enough, and he - as well as the rest of the students - start packing up their things, ready to go and eat. The young brown-haired girl sitting on the other side of the classroom wastes no time and quickly slots her books into her bag, then pulls out her lunchbox. Shizuka also packs up her things as the classroom becomes emptier. When she is the last one left, she gets up and goes to lock the door.

Outside the classroom Hachiman starts his walk down the hall. He doesn't get very far before Yui runs up behind him and taps his shoulder.

"Hi Hikki!"

"Don't call me that." He says sternly as he turns around to look at the girl.

"Do you want to walk together?"

"Walk together where?"

"To classroom 6-E! Me, you, Yukinon and Hiratsuka-sensei agreed to meet at lunch today so we could discuss our stall at the Christmas Festival."

The assassin sighs and looks at the roof with a defeated expression on his face. The fatigue of school is starting to get the best of him.

"If we don't hurry, we might not have enough time to prepare!" She yells out.

He nods at the girl, and they start walking together to the classroom. When they are about halfway there, Yuigahama notices something that causes her to jump up in shock.

"You have a big cut on your cheek!"

Hikigaya looks at her.

"I know."

"What happened?"

"I fell."

"Did you fall onto a knife or something?!"

"No. I fell onto the pavement. I tripped on a pipe that had fallen off a drain."

Yuigahama looks down with a worried expression, feeling as if though that's a fake answer. A few moments later they arrive at their destination. Yui opens the door and sees Yukino sitting in her usual spot.

"Hello Yuk- Oh no!" She cuts off her greeting as her jaw drops. "What's that!?"

She points at Yukinoshita's face, which has a dark-blue bruise right under the eye.

"It's quite alright Yui. I slipped in the shower and hit my face against the tiles. It'll be fine."

Yuigahama gives her friend a big hug.

"First Hikki and now you! I feel like I'm giving everyone bad luck..."

The wealthy-girl looks over Yui's shoulder and sees the cut on Hachiman's cheek. She suspiciously raises an eyebrow. He feels similar level of suspicion when looking at her bruise. Just then, Hiratsuka walks in, shutting the door loudly behind her.

"How is everyone doing?" She asks breaking the slwoly rising tension.

* * *

 **Chiba Police Precinct – 10:56 **

The sound of people speaking and phones ringing echo through out the large police building. Officers hurry around each other holding boxes of reports as civilians and criminals alike wait hours for service. In one corner of this precinct a detective sits looking through a file for a case he is working on. The detective in question is a man named Reo Touma. He's forty-five years old, divorced with two kids and has a strong sense of justice.

During his time on the force, he has made countless arrests. From bringing down gangs and drug cartels to solving the kidnapping of a senator's son despite being told by the Public Security Intelligence Agency to leave it to them. By now it would be safe to assume that Detective Touma would've easily made Police Captain, however despite his experience and contentiousness this position has been tacitly denied to him.

He knows why this is and so do the upper-brass. For all of his career the detective has been openly gay, and due to Tokyo's lack of discrimination laws against sexual orientation there is very little he can do to move up from his current rank. This doesn't bother him too much though, as being a detective has allowed him to catch hundreds of criminals, undoubtedly making Japan a better place.

"Hey Touma, what you working on?"

A lady in her mid-thirties walks up to the older man as she loudly eats an apple. He looks up from his desk and smiles cordially at her. She has short brown hair and is wearing a black jacket over a white blouse.

"Same case we were speaking about last week. A woman named Shizuka Hiratsuka. The one who might have come into contact with a high-profile assassin."

"Yeah I remember. You went to visit her right?" She asks with her mouthful of food.

"Correct. Told her she may be in some trouble, but right now I'm focusing on this hitman. Apparently, his DNA has been found at several crime scenes all over Japan. This guy's the real-deal."

Touma speaks with a deep, tired voice.

"You think you can catch this guy?"

He chuckles, before coughing slightly.

"I'm definitely going to try, Karen."

"I believe in you, old man!" She says with a wink as she walks off to go do her work.

The detective also has work to do and promptly stands up, then grabs the keys for his car. As he walks to the exit of the station he sees some uniformed officers bring in three men dressed in bandannas and white vests. Despite being in handcuffs all of them are using a crutches to stand up straight. This catches Touma's attention and he makes a quick detour towards them.

"What's up with these guys?" He asks one of the officers.

The man looks up from the report he's writing and chuckles.

"It's actually kind of funny. These guys are arms dealers."

The officer points at the men with crutches.

"Two nights ago they were robbed and had all their guns stolen by two guys. These two guys went non-lethal for some reason and capped them in the legs. They just got out of the hospital and I'm charging them now."

Reo nods and thanks the police man before heading to his car and making a mental note to check out this case later.

* * *

 **Sobu Highschool – 10:34**

"Why do we even have to have a festival? The school is just trying to use us to make money and look better than other schools. We get nothing out of it." Hikigaya says with a yawn.

Hiratsuka points directly at him.

"You're only saying that because you were home-schooled your whole life and have never been to a proper school festival."

The assassin rolls his eyes as he slouches down into his chair.

"A festival is a wonderful place! People's lives are changed forever there. Imagine a scene where two best friends are sitting alone together. It's cold so they have to share a scarf." The teacher puts her left hand against her heart. "They both notice the combined warmth of their bodies and look into each other's eyes. At that moment they realize they are meant to be together and share a romantic kiss!"

"It sounds like you think about this a lot, Hiratsuka." Yukinoshita says with a slight grin.

The older woman scratches the back of her head with an embarrassed expression on her face.

"It's not like that… I just… Uh…"

"She just ripped a scene off verbatim from a light novel." Hikigaya says interrupting her attempts at making an excuse.

She stops blushing and smiles at him. Seeing Shizuka's shame wane Yukino chimes in again.

"I'd say that's even more embarrassing for you Hiratsuka."

The blush returns and the teacher attempts to change the subject.

"A-Anyway, we already have a list of items to bring for the festival, but we'll still need to build the decorations from scratch. You said you'd handle the expenses, right Yukino?"

"No! We agreed that we'd all put some money in!" Yuigahama interjects, not wanting to see her friend get exploited.

"Oh yeah, that's right I must have forgot!"

The brown-haired girl shakes her head disapprovingly at the teacher.

"We have to build the decorations somewhere, and the school isn't open long enough after 15:00 for us to do it here." Hachiman says while opening up a small book to read.

"They be can be made at my apartment, it's not far from here. Yukino and Hikigaya have already been there before."

The wealthy-girl looks intently at her teacher and then at the boy sitting at the end of the table.

"Hikigaya has been in your apartment?" She asks - not at all hiding her annoyance - as she stares at the cut on his cheek.

"Yeah, he helped me with something a while back."

The assassin looks over at Yukinoshita as well.

"You seem awful concerned about me going to Hiratsuka-sensei's apartment."

She scoffs.

"It's not like you're an upstanding citizen. Who knows what goes on in that wretched brain of yours or if it's even safe to let you be alone with a woman?"

"So suddenly you care about other people?"

"I care about Hiratsuka, so naturally I want to protect her."

"Well you haven't been doing a very good job."

"What did you say to me?"

Yukinoshita clenches her fists and looks at him furiously. Hikigaya notices this and a small worry he had earlier begins to grow slightly.

"You said you got that bruise on your face when you slipped in the shower right?" He asks, looking back at his book.

"Correct. Try not to imagine it. Your gross eyes already make me feel uncomfortable enough."

Yuigahama and Hiratsuka turn their heads back and forth as the exchange continues.

"My eyes are my most attractive feature, so I won't hold it against you for noticing them."

Yukino scoffs again.

"Don't fight guys!" Yui says raising her palms, trying to calm down the situation.

"Oh Please, this isn't a fight." She responds with an eye-roll.

"That's right, because if it was then I'd win."

"As if. Are you really such a brute that you'd hit a respectable young lady?"

"I probably wouldn't hit a respectable woman, so it's good you don't fall into that category."

She scowls at him angrily.

* * *

 **Empty Warehouse – 11:05**

Touma reaches down and grabs the yellow tape walling off a crime scene. He pulls it up and kneels, walking below the tape and into the warehouse. He looks around, and sees a bunch of little white cards marking different pieces of evidence. Currently he has black pants on, along with a large beige trench coat.

This is his first time being here. The original detectives investigating this case dealt with things like armed robbery, but it was soon handed off to him (a homicide detective) after an anonymous tip came through linking a shooting at this warehouse to a string of assassinations over Japan and potentially the rest of the world.

After a quick scan the first thing he focuses on are the two bullet holes close to the entrance, then the small pile of burnt sticks in the middle of the building.

'The guys who worked this case said that the students who tried to rob Shizuka Hiratsuka were camping out here for some time. That was probably their fire.'

He writes something down in his notepad, then walks over to another marker. Each marker is numbered and corresponds to a point in the file. This marker is placed next to a stain on the floor, which was identified by forensics as coffee.

'A coffee stain... The boys said they had no food or drinks. So where'd it come from?'

Touma continues to look around, eventually finding two dried up pools of blood on either side of the warehouse.

'Let's say the assassin really was involved. For whatever reason, he comes to finish off the boys but something stops him. Perhaps he's standing at the entrance and someone shoots at him, causing him to run for cover and leaving two bullet holes in the ground. That gives the boys a chance to escape.'

He sighs and continues to analyses the area, before raising his hand and pointing at a large machine.

'If he was standing at the entrance and someone shot at his feet from behind, the quickest way to get to cover would be to hide behind there. That still doesn't explain the coffee stain, the two pools of blood or why they're so far apart.'

The detective who wrote the original report was very thorough so Reo already knows about all the different pieces of evidence. He is just here to see it in person. After looking around a bit longer, he takes out his phone and dials a number. It rings for a few moments before the person on the other end answers.

 _"Hello?"_

This person speaks with a slight Indian accent.

"Hi, it's Touma from homicide. I was wondering if the Detective Asahi sent you any blood samples recently."

 _"Uhh… Let me check…"_

The older man waits patiently.

 _"No he didn't, but I think he was going to. He filed the appropriate document and then just never got around to it."_

"That's probably because the case was transferred to me." Reo says, thinking out loud. "Anyway, I've got two separate blood pools here and I want to know who they spawned from."

 _"Did forensics already do a sweep?"_

"Yeah."

 _"Alright just give me the case number."_

Touma looks at his folder then repeats the number back to the man on the phone.

 _"Give me one sec…"_

There is a short pause.

 _"Okay! Yeah we've got the blood samples right here. I'll see what I can do with them."_

"Thanks Lee, you're the best."

The detective ends the call and puts his phone away. He continues to look around the warehouse hoping to find something of interest.

* * *

 **Sobu Highschool – Hiratsuka's Office – 15:34**

"So can you believe it?"

Hikigaya looks up from his work and eyes his teacher.

"Believe what?"

"That Yukino and Yuigahama are friends now! That's crazy."

There is silence in the air for several seconds.

"Why?"

She raises her arms above her head and stretches.

"They're just so different…"

"Why do you care?"

"Because I'm their teacher! It's my job to care. I've been trying find a suitable friend for Yukino for ages and all of a sudden she's got Yuigahama on her arm. It's like: Why even bother?"

"You're right. It was a waste of your time."

"No Hikigaya! You're supposed to explain how it was me consistently supporting Yukino that allowed her to emotionally mature enough to finally have a proper friend."

He raises an eyebrow.

"Does that sound like something I would say?"

"Well you'd phrase it more depressively."

She winks at him and he let's out a small laugh.

"Anyway, I thought you and Yukino would end up being friends but you're like cats and dogs. You guys have made passive agressive remarks before but suddenly you're at each others throats."

"I couldn't be friends with someone like that. Her big mouth is probably the reason for that bruise on her face."

Hiratsuka shoots him a dirty look.

"I'm still a teacher Hikigaya, and badmouthing your peers is against the rules."

"That's very hypocritical Sensei. After all, just last week you called the vice-principal a cu-"

"Never mind that!" She says cutting him off and quickly changing the subject. "How's your language work going?"

He sighs.

"Like I said: It is a waste of time. I speak Japanese fine."

"You speak Japanese as if the language spat in your cereal. You have no eloquence, unlike me."

The assassin rolls his eyes at her cockiness and places his pen down. He then reaches into his bag and pulls out a MAX Coffee.

"I haven't seen one of those in a while." She says as he opens the can.

"I already told you, I'm trying to cut down."

"Just be glad you don't smoke. I've been trying to quit for the last five years."

"It can't be that difficult."

"You only say that because you've never tried it. Sometimes I just give up and stick the nicotine patch right on my forehead."

"That seems unhealthy."

"Everything in the world is unhealthy!" Shizuka retorts, putting her head on the desk.

"Not really, no."

They sit in silence for a bit as Hikigaya sips on his coffee. He looks around her office. It's the same as last time and the time before. Hiratsuka likes things to stay same.

"By the way, I want you to make a promise to me." She says breaking the silence and looking up at him.

"What do you mean?"

"During lunch today we agreed that you, Yukino and Yuigahama can come to my house this Friday to assemble the decorations, so I want to make sure you don't fight."

"It's not my fault I dislike her."

The older woman sighs.

"It doesn't matter who likes who. This is for the festival and I don't want anything to get in the way of that. So promise me you won't fight with her."

He leans back in his chair.

"Sure, whatever."

"Thank you."

As their session nears its end she eyes the cut on his cheek. They spoke about it this morning before class and he gave her the same excuse he gave Yuigahama. Hiratsuka believes him for the most part, but still feels concerned. A few moments later the clock hits 16:00, giving Hikigaya his cue to leave. She watches him as he stands up and walks to the door.

"Bye Hiratsuka-sensei." He says as he pulls down the handle.

"Bye Hikigaya..."

* * *

 **Authors Notes:** Hello party people, looks like we've got a detective investigating 8man as well as he and Yukino butting heads at school. Chapter 23 will be up next week!


	23. Reveal - Part 2

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: Hiratsuka, Yukinoshita, Yuigahama and Hikigaya agree to meet up on Friday to build the decorations for their stall at the festival, while a Chiba Detective looks for leads on the assassin's whereabouts.

* * *

 **Friday – Chiba Streets – 15:20**

Yukinoshita walks down the sidewalk holding a large bag full of crafts materials. Next to her is Yuigahama holding a similarly sized bag. Several cars drive past them as they make their way to Hiratsuka's apartment. Currently Yukino is wearing a light grey dress that goes to a little below her knees, along with black leggings. Yui is wearing jeans and a wool sweater. The two of them just got out of school and changed from their uniform in the locker rooms.

"You're really strong Yukinon!" The brown-haired girl says she lets out a sigh.

Her friend looks at her before speaking.

"I go to the gym occasionally."

Yuigahama uses both her hands to keep her bag suspended over the ground, clearly struggling with its weight.

"I'm surprised you don't have massive muscles bulging out everywhere!"

"I already told you I can carry both of the bags." Yukinoshita responds with a warm smile.

"No! I need to do this myself."

"Why?"

"I don't know… I feel good when I accomplish things that are hard…" She answers, unable to find the words she's looking for.

"I understand what you mean. It feels good to work for something and get satisfying results."

"You're so smart! I wish I could speak like you!"

"Well you shouldn't. You already told me you want to be yourself more, but you've also said you want to be just like me. You'll have to pick one eventually."

"I guess your right…"

"Personally, I would rather have Yui Yuigahama than another version of myself."

Yuigahama feels reassured and they walk in silence for a bit, listening to cars engines passing them by. Eventually she breaks the silence.

"This walk feels like it's going on forever…"

"Don't worry, Hiratsuka's apartment isn't much further. We'll be there in no time."

"I'm so excited to see what her home is like. I wonder if she has a coffee machine!"

Yukino raises an eyebrow and looks ahead.

"Why?"

"Because that's what every real adult has! 'It all starts with a _Nescafé_.' That's what the TV ads say _._ "

"I suppose that's true. Personally, I don't care for it. Tea is my beverage of choice, and you?"

"Hot chocolate!"

The wealthy-girl chuckles at the response, expecting no less from Yui.

"How is Rockstar Pan-san by the way?"

"He's fine. I put him with the rest of my collection."

"I still can't believe what we did… It was scariest and most exhilarating thing ever! I felt like I was in a movie!"

"Don't speak too loud." Yukino replies half-jokingly. "We could still go to jail if we're find out."

"Yeah but that's what makes it so crazy. I would never be able to just do something like that… But you're so brave, just like Hikki."

Yukinoshita frowns at the mention of his name.

"I don't know why you don't like him! You have a lot in common." Yuigahama says, noticing the reaction.

"He bothers me. I'm not entirely sure why either."

"Maybe one day we could all be friends."

Yukino thinks about a her answer for a few seconds.

"Perhaps."

The answer is intentionally vague, as she doesn't really believe it could ever happen.

After a about ten more minutes of walking, the two girls arrive at Hiratsuka's apartment building. Yukinoshita leads Yuigahama to the elevator and they take it up to the teacher's floor.

 _ **KNOCK**_

 _ **KNOCK**_

From the hallway they hear Hiratsuka standing up and knocking things over as she hurries towards the door. They then hear the key turn and see the handle pulled down. Shizuka pulls it open and greets them. Yui looks over her shoulder and sees Hachiman sitting on her couch eating a bag of chips.

* * *

 **Ichiraku Ramen – 15:47**

Detective Touma opens up the glass doors and heads down the aisles of the restaurant to a specific booth by the far right corner. This seat in particular gives him an excellent view of the streets outside. One of his favourite pass times is simply watching people go about their day. As he sits down a young waitress walks up to his table holding a clipboard and a pen.

"Hi Detective Touma." She says smiling. "You want the usual?"

"Yes please, thank you." He confirms.

The lady walks off and he takes out his notebook along with a file from his suitcase. Inside the file is everything about the assassin he's found since he was given this case. He begins to flip through his notepad looking for a specific page. Once he finds it Reo grabs the file and pulls out some documents and photographs. The first photo is a blurry image of a boy holding his hand over his face. Despite the blurriness, seats can easily be seen in the background along with the bright white light from the camera's flash.

'According to witnesses on the train, this guy strangled another passenger then tied everybody up.'

The other photo is of a building that was blown up in New York. The detective only has a photo due to the city being significantly out of the Japanese Police's jurisdiction but none the less, he suspects the involvement of the assassin.

'Those three boys threatened Shizuka Hiratsukas life, so he tried to kill them… But why would an assassin be protecting a Judge's daughter?'

He leans back.

'So many questions and so little evidence to find the answers…'

A few minutes later the waitress returns holding a tray with a hot bowl of ramen on top. She places it down on the table along with two chopsticks and napkins.

"Thanks, Sumire."

He pulls the chopsticks apart, before pushing them into the noodles and pulling the food up into his mouth. Some of the juices get onto his facial hair, and he promptly wipes it off. Just then his phone starts vibrating in his pocket. Reo pulls out the device and answers.

"Hello?"

 _"Hi Detective Touma, it's me Lee from the lab. You told me you wanted to know if we got any leads from the blood forensics found?"_

"That's correct yes."

 _"Well I got a match on one of the samples to a man named Kyle Smith. He's an American guy who moved to Japan a couple of months ago. Apparently he's been arrested before for a possible assault and battery but the charges were dropped, that's how his name got into our system."_

"Do you have an address?"

Touma writes down the location as the man on the other end of the phone reads it out to him.

"Thanks Lee."

 _"You owe me a coffee Touma!"_ The man says trying to get one last word in as the call ends.

The detective finishes his meal and goes over the file a couple more times before standing up and heading to his car.

'Kyle Smith… Let's see what you know.'

* * *

 **Hiratsuka's Apartment – 15:51**

Yukinoshita walks in and gently places her bag down on the floor. Yuigahama does the same albeit less eloquently.

"How long has he been here?" The dark-haired girl asks, not wanting to acknowledge Hikigaya directly.

"I drove him here with me straight after school... So almost an hour." Shizuka answers as she locks the door behind the two girls.

"Hey Hikki!" Yui greets with a wide smile on her face.

He turns his head to her.

"Hi."

She smiles even wider, happy to get any attention from Hachiman.

"What's he doing? We're supposed to be working on our stall for the festival." Yukino says, annoyed that they seem to be lazing around.

Hiratsuka walks over to the couch and sits next to Hikigaya. She then pats down the space beside her, indicating she wants them to join her. Without hesitating Yuigahama jogs towards the couch and takes a seat next to the teacher. Yukinoshita reluctantly follows suit.

"We were going to start the decorations... But the new Fairy Tail episode is about to air, and I can't miss it!"

"I love Fairy Tail!" Yuigahama replies looking wide-eyed at Hiratsuka and then the television screen.

"I've never seen it." The assassin states as he takes a potato chip and eats it.

"We don't have time for television. We need to star-"

"Calm down Yukino." Hiratsuka interrupts as she reaches into Hikigaya's bag of chips and pulls out a handful. "We can spend twenty minutes watching one episode."

The wealthy-girl is annoyed by the trio's lack of work ethic and crosses her arms. On her left side is Yuigahama who seems to not care at all. To Yui's left is Shizuka. The older woman is wearing a t-shirt and jeans. Hachiman is dressed similar, wearing a light green golf shirt with denims.

"It's starting!" The teacher presses a button on the television remote and turns up the volume.

The four of them watch as the new episode begins to play, introducing the different characters one by one.

"Who's that?" Hikigaya asks pointing at the screen.

"That's Lucy. She starts off in the series very weak but by the end is one of most valuable members of her team."

Yuigahama smiles at the description of Lucy, feeling it does justice to her favourite character.

"The pink and black-haired guys over there are Natsu and Gray. At the beginning they are rivals and constantly fight, but eventually become the closest of friends."

Yukinoshita rolls her eyes before giving her input.

"It doesn't sound very realistic, Hiratsuka. If two people really dislike each other, I doubt anything would change that."

"I agree." Hikigaya says as he rests his chin on his hand.

"My favourite character out of everyone is Erza, the red-haired woman. From start to end she is strong, independent and rarely lets her conviction waver."

"You sound almost jealous Hiratsuka-sensei."

The teacher grins.

"Of course, I'm jealous. Who wouldn't be?"

They continue watching for a bit before Yukino gives her opinion once again.

"The main character seems a bit... Overpowered, don't you think?"

"He is." Shizuka confirms."But that's the point. It's fun to have the story revolve around someone who is seemingly unstoppable."

"Wouldn't that make it boring?"

"Only if the story only focuses on him, but because it develops all of it's side characters, then there's always somewhere the plot can go."

As the episode pushes on Hikigaya and Yukinoshita continue to make crude remarks about the characters and writing, but Hiratsuka and Yuigahama defend it right up until the end, explaining why certain characters do this or why some things may not make sense. After the twenty-two minute run-time ends, the four of them get up and begin working on the decorations, using the two bags of craft items the two girls brought as well as what Hiratsuka got at the store yesterday.

* * *

 **Suburban House – 17:10**

Touma presses his foot gently against the brakes as he parks his car opposite a medium sized house. The property is situated on a long street ending in a cul-de-sac. Most of the neighbouring houses look exactly the same with a small garden and fence. He exits the vehicle and walks down the road looking for a specific address. After a few minutes he finds the house and goes up to the fence. Reo presses a small button on an intercom. It buzzes and a minute later, a lady opens up her front door and walks out to the gate.

Unknown to him the woman in question is Haruno Yukinoshita, albeit dressed a little more homely than usual.

"I'm Detective Reo Touma." He states as he raises I.D to her. "Are you Mrs. Akane Smith?"

"Yes, that's me." Haruno answers with a fake worried look on her face.

"Do you mind if I come in? There's something I'd like to discuss with you."

"Not at all." She says, walking over to the door and leading him inside.

The walls of the house are white. To the left is a kitchen and to the right is a fireplace. Straight ahead is living room along with a staircase leading upstairs. The home is neat and there are several framed photos placed about.

"Is your husband Kyle Smith home?"

"No… Actually I haven't seen him for a while. Would you like tea or something?"

"Yes that would be lovely." The detective says as he sits down on a chair in the kitchen.

Haruno walks over to the kettle and turns it on. While the water boils she opens a few draws looking for the tea bags. Touma raises an eyebrow as he takes out his notepad.

"You haven't seen your husband in a while?"

"That's right, one day he just left and never came back..."

"Why haven't you called the police?"

"Well I mean I didn't want to assume the worst. Sometimes he goes on long business trips, I'm sure he'll be back soon."

Reo nods as Haruno fakes a hopeful smile.

"What exactly does your husband do Mrs. Smith?"

"He works in private security."

The kettle makes a clicking noise and the water begins to simmer down.

"Do you know if he's ever taken any jobs that involve criminal activities?"

Haruno turns around and looks anxiously at the detective as she pours some milk out of a carton.

"I assure you my husband would never do such things. He was in the United States Military for almost ten years before moving with me to Japan. He values upholding the law above all else."

"I'm sure that's true ma'am, but unfortu-" He is cut off when they both hear a bump coming from upstairs.

There is an awkward silence for a few seconds.

"Just doves in the roof, you know how they are." Haruno says as she places the cup of tea on the table.

"Well as I was saying: Unfortunately your husbands blood - along with someone else's - was found at a crime scene in an unoccupied warehouse. We have reason to believe he may have been killed by a professional hitman."

Haruno places her hand against her chest and looks at the ground sadly.

"K-Killed?"

She pretends to be shocked by the news.

"I'm sorry. The man who we believe to have killed him is still on the loose and we want to find the culprit as soon as possible to stop this from happening again. Do you know anyone or anything that could tell us why your husband was at a warehouse?"

Another bump comes from upstairs, causing the detective to look up.

"You just told me my husband might be dead might be dead... S-Sorry I just need a minute…" Haruno says as with a frightened expression.

"Of course." He responds respectfully, as he looks back at her.

Haruno walks out the kitchen and heads towards the stairs.

"I'm going to the bathroom real quick, is that okay?"

The detective nods and she begins to climb the staircase. After a quick walk down a hall, Haruno reaches for the handle on the bathroom door, then pulls it open and walks in. To her left is a sink and a mirror and to her right is a woman tied up and gagged, lying in a bathtub kicking a wall.

"Now what did I say Akane? You need to be quiet."

Haruno smiles as she shuts the bathroom door. She then reaches behind her sweater and pulls out a gun. The real Akane Smith sees this and begins shaking her head vigorously, with an intense look of fear in her eyes.

"I'm trying to have a conversation with a nice man downstairs, and if you keep bumping the wall: Then I'm going to have a little fun with your infant in the other room. Let me tell you, I've never been good with kids."

* * *

 **Hiratsuka's Apartment – 17:21**

Hikigaya sits cross-legged on floor, folding different pieces of paper into origami roses. Hiratsuka is in the same position - on the floor facing her student as they make the decorations.

"So…" She says trying to make conversation.

Currently they are alone while Yuigahama and Yukinoshita are in the bathroom painting some posters.

"So?" He asks as he places a paper rose on the pile of decorations.

"The cut on your face has healed up."

"Correct."

"I'm glad. Yukino's bruise has faded too. I don't like seeing my students get hurt."

"You've punched my gut enough times for that statement to be quite hypocritical, Hiratsuka-sensei."

The teacher blushes and grabs a piece of paper.

"I mean… If you tell me to stop I won't do it anymore."

"It's not a big deal."

Despite the statement, she feels toning down the violence on teenagers would probably be best even if she does get provoked sometimes. Suddenly the two of them hear Yukino and Yui's muffled giggles coming from the bathroom.

"They must be having fun."

"I'm sure anything is more interesting than folding paper." He says as he finishes another rose.

"Come on it's not that bad, origami is great! I used to make cranes with my parents all the time."

The mention of Hiratsuka's parents peeks Hikigaya's interest. His mission in essence is to get any damning information about her father, so he decides to push the subject.

"I've never heard you mention your parents before."

"Yeah well I haven't spoken to my dad in ages and my mom died a while ago." She takes a deep breath after speaking the last few words and her heart-rate increases somewhat.

"I never knew my parents."

She looks at him and thinks back to when he enrolled at Sobu High school.

"Yeah I remember your Uncle. He seemed nice."

"He taught me everything I know."

Hikigaya smiles thinking about his past missions.

"That's right, I forgot you were home-schooled. It's impressive he'd take it upon himself to raise and teach a child."

"Yeah, home-schooled..."

The teacher sits up slightly and places her arms behind her back.

"Even when I was a kid I barely saw my dad. He worked constantly. My mom worked a lot too but at least she put in the effort."

"Is there bad blood between you and him?"

"Not really, more like cold-indifference."

"I'm sorry." He says solemnly, imagining how it would feel if he and Ryuzaki's relationship was like that.

"You don't have to worry about it… It's just my personal issues."

"I'm not going to worry about it, but I'm still sorry."

She smiles at him and they continue to make origami roses in silence. A little while later Yukinoshita and Yuigahama come out into the living room. Both of them have small smudges of paint on their hands and faces. The dark-haired girl in particular has a black spot on the tip of her nose.

"That's a good look on you." Hikigaya says as he stands up and stretches his legs.

Yuigahama giggles at the remark, but her friend finds it less than funny.

"The painting is done. It'll be dry in a few hours. I see you two have done the paper flowers, thank you."

Hiratsuka nods and begins to speak.

"Once these are hung up and we have the fridges stocked, our stall will be a force to be reckoned with."

Yukino gently grabs Yui's hand, before to walking to the front door.

"We'll be going now Hiratsuka."

"Why? It's only…" She grabs her phone and checks the time. "It's only 17:40, there's no rush to get home. At least have something to eat."

The wealthy-girl looks at her teacher, then at Yuigahama, and then at Hikigaya who has now sat back down on the couch.

"I suppose it would be rude to refuse, after all you were kind enough to let us use your home to work in."

Yui smiles happily, glad that Yukino is accepting the offer.

"I'll prepare something for you guys! After all, I am a master chef."

"And what about Hikigaya? Will he be staying for dinner as well?" Yukino asks, frowning.

The teacher shoots the girl a "no-duh" look.

"Well I suppose as Japanese citizens it is our duty to help the less fortunate, even if they are intolerable."

The assassin chooses not to respond.

"Then it's decided. Yukino you help me in the kitchen! Yuigahama and Hikigaya: You two just wait here for a meal!"

"Will it be the best meal ever, Hiratsuka-sensei?" Yui asks excitedly.

"Uhh... Well it'll certainly be... A meal."

Yukinoshita sighs and heads to the kitchen.

* * *

 **Authors Notes:** The evidence leads Detective Touma to a man named Kyle Smith however he instead finds Haruno impersonating the mans wife! What will happen in the next chapter? Find out next week! Also fun fact Hiratsuka's voice actress and I have the same birthday. Crazy stuff.


	24. Reveal - Part 3

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: After completing the decorations Yuigahama, Yukinoshita and Hikigaya agree to stay over and have dinner with Hiratsuka. Detective Touma finds himself at the house of Kyle Smith, Rorona's now deceased partner. Unknown to the detective, the woman who greeted him is not Kyle's wife but rather Haruno Yukinoshita, who has Akane Smith tied up in a bathtub. What will happen next? Find out!

* * *

 **Friday - Hiratsuka's Apartment – 17:32**

The older woman walks over to her stove and turns the dial. She then grabs a pot and fills it with water. Next to her is Yukinoshita who is chopping up vegetables. After some discussion they decided the meal they would cook together is _nabemono_ , which is essentially a stock pot filled with various different food items that get cooked together. Once it is ready, diners take vegetables from the pot and add them to their plate.

The kitchen isn't too large, but they can walk around without bumping into each other. To the left of the oven is a door that leads into the living room, with a fridge to the right and several cupboards on the beige walls. The floor is tiled and has several visible cracks.

"So, how have you been lately?" Hiratsuka asks as she adds six cups of dashi into the pot.

"I've been fine, and you?"

Yukinoshita lays out a handful of mushrooms in front of her and begins chopping them in half.

"I've been good."

She looks away from the mushrooms and at her teacher.

"Are you sure?"

Hiratsuka thinks about the detective and the zoo before answering.

"Yeah, I'm sure..."

There is a momentary silence.

"Have you heard anything about your uncle?"

Yukino tenses up slightly as she hands Shizuka a cup of soy sauce.

"I don't know if it would be wise to speak about it."

Her teacher nods while taking a tablespoon of salt and adding it to the broth.

"I understand. To be honest I'm surprised you even told me as much as you did."

"After what happened last year, it wouldn't be right to not follow up on my uncle's murder."

"I mean you're kind of not following up right now." Hiratsuka says half-jokingly, while lowering the heat on the stove.

Yukinoshita thinks about it while she cuts up the Napa cabbage.

"I suppose you're right."

Hiratsuka smiles and begins adding the ingredients to the pot.

"Last week I met the assassin…"

The teacher's smile disappears and her eyes widen in shock.

"You did what?!"

Yukinoshita walks over to the fridge and pulls out some tofu.

"Don't be so loud Hiratsuka. I met him on Friday, and he gave me the name of the man who arranged the hit on my uncle."

She leaves out the part where her and the assassin had a quick fight before being interrupted by Haruno.

"I-It's just… Like I said I don't want you getting hurt, Yukino."

"Well like _I_ said: I am fine."

They continue to cut vegetables and stir the items inside the pot for some time, before Hiratsuka speaks again.

"So, now that you have his name what are you going to do?"

Yukinoshita considers her answer but comes up short.

"I don't know. I haven't decided."

"And what about this assassin?"

She unconsciously shifts her gaze to the kitchen door.

"I don't know what to do about him either."

They add the last few items into the pot and turn off the stove.

"Well I hope you figure it out, Yukino."

"Thank you, Hiratsuka."

* * *

 **Suburban House – 17:26**

"I'm trying to have a conversation with a nice man downstairs, and if you keep bumping the wall, Then I'm going to have a little fun with your infant in the other room. Let me tell you: I've never been good with kids."

The tied-up woman stops kicking and lies still in the bathtub as tears run down her face.

"Good choice." Haruno says with a grin, as she returns the gun to her back.

She then looks in the mirror and turns on the tap. After splashing some water in her eyes and making it look like she was crying, Haruno exits the bathroom and walks down the stairs. Instead of finding the detective sitting at the table, she sees him examining some family photos placed on a mantel.

"Are you okay?" He asks as he takes a sip from his tea.

"Yeah, I think I'll be fine… It's just a lot to process right now..."

There is a short awkward silence.

"A-Anyway, what can I do to help?"

Touma walks over to her and hands Haruno a framed photo. The picture inside is of Kyle Smith and Rorona giving a thumbs up to the camera while dressed in camo and holding rifles.

"Do you know who that man is?" He asks as he hovers his finger over the photo.

She fakes a warm smile.

"That's Rorona Kobayashi, they were in the Marine Corps together. When Kyle moved to Japan with me, he convinced Rorona to come along as well."

Before hiring Rorona and Kyle as mercenaries to capture Hikigaya, she did a background check on them. This means Haruno has more than enough information to impersonate the man's wife.

"I see, and do you know where this Rorona person is now?"

"Yeah I have his home address in my cell."

Haruno takes out her iPhone X and reads the detective an apartment number and street while he writes it down in his notepad. After that, Touma continues to look around the house as he sips his tea.

"I see a lot of pictures of Kyle, but none of you." He remarks candidly.

"Uhh… Yeah I don't like to have my picture taken. I'm kind of shy."

This isn't true, in reality all the pictures of Kyle's wife were hastily shoved into drawer before the detective arrived.

Suddenly - from another room - they both hear a baby start crying. Haruno stands patiently, as if waiting for it to just stop.

"Are you not going to…" Touma's sentence trails off at the end as if what he is thinking is too obvious to even ask.

"Oh right." Haruno says as she rushes off to the downstairs bedroom to aid the small child.

She walks in and kneels down by the baby. The room is small, and packed to the brim with toys like rattles and blocks. Reo places his cup down and follows her in, watching as she picks the baby up from his crib and begins to rock him. Despite her efforts the infant continues to cry and push away from her. She quickly puts him back in the crib and looks at the man standing in the doorway.

"Kids are so strange, one minute they're like this and the next they're fine." She says with a smile. "He probably misses his father."

Touma nods and writes something down in his notepad. The baby's crying eventually begins to wind down.

"Well, I'll go speak to this Rorona Kobayashi person and see if he knows anything about your husband's disappearance."

The detective reaches into his pocket to grab his car keys as he walks to the front door. Upon putting his hand on the knob he begins to feel light-headed. Haruno walks up behind him and watches as he begins to stumble backwards and then fall down onto the ground. Reo attempts to move his arms and legs but it's to avail.

She grins nefariously as she sees him struggling on the floor.

* * *

 **Hiratsuka's Apartment – 17:27**

Yuigahama sits staring at Hikigaya from across the couch. He sees her doing this from corner of his eye and turns his head towards her. She continues staring.

"What are you looking at?" He asks apprehensively.

"Nothing." She answers with a smile.

The assassin turns his head back towards the television, which has a subtitled version of _Avengers: Infinity War_ playing. They sit in silence for a few more minutes before he sees her take out her phone.

He turns his head again and is greeted with a flashing light and the sound of a photo snapping. Hikigaya wipes his eyes before shooting the brown-haired girl a confused look. Yuigahama giggles as she taps the screen, then extends her arm out indicating she wants him to take the phone from her. It has a bright pink cover and bunny ears, with the remnants of torn off stickers on its back.

After taking the device, he looks at the screen. There is a photo of him facing the camera, but with a dogs nose and ears superimposed over his face.

"What's this?"

"It's an Instagram filter! It makes people look extra cute."

"That's not really an interest of mine, Yuigahama." He says unenthusiastically.

She crawls from her side of the couch over to him.

"Since we're friends now we can follow each other. Then take photos together!"

"I don't have an Instagram account and we're not really friends."

"Yukinon said the same, and now look at us!"

He stares at the paint marks on her face.

"I'm not really looking for friends."

Hachiman turns his head back to the television, as Yui pouts.

"But why? Hiratsuka-sensei is your friend, right?"

"Hiratsuka-sensei is my language teacher."

"You can be friends with teachers too! When I was seven-years-old I wanted to spend every single moment with my maths teacher, but then my parents moved to a new part of town and I changed schools. I'll never forgot her though!"

Hikigaya thinks back to when he was seven-years-old and remembers a teacher he had a fondness for. Unfortunately, he ended up executing said teacher. It's not a good memory and he puts it in the back of his mind, choosing to focus on the conversation at hand.

"I'm not seven-years-old and I'm also not you."

"So you don't like Sensei at all?"

He considers it for a moment.

"She's a fine teacher, I guess."

Yuigahama smiles and moves back over to her side of the couch. A few moments later Yukinoshita walks out and tells them the food is ready.

* * *

 **Suburban House – 17:34**

Reo feels himself getting dragged to a wall and sat up, while still unable to move his body.

"So Detective Touma, you're probably panicking really hard right now… Of course you can't show it physically because I spiked your drink with ketamine rendering you in your current state."

Haruno puts her hands on her hips as she looks down at him.

"Wh-What are you doing?" He asks, struggling to speak.

"Good question. One that has a very long answer. I will tell you that I'm not really Kyle's wife, she's upstairs in the tub."

"S-Stop this…" The older man says, while shaking his head.

She smiles widely and licks her lips.

"Don't worry I'm not going to kill her, or you for that matter. Offing a detective is serious business and A LOT of work. Believe me, I know. I'm simply here to layout the law to you, so-to-speak."

Haruno kneels down to him, putting their eyes on even level.

"Shizuka Hiratsuka is a person of interest in a case you're working. For the past few weeks you've been hunting an assassin after you got an anonymous tip he was involved in a shooting at a warehouse."

"H-How do you know all this?"

"Because I'm the one who gave you and your friends over at the precinct the tip. I don't care if you hunt the assassin as my business with him is over, but Shizuka Hiratsuka is off limits as of now."

"S-Screw you!" He says as some saliva falls out of his mouth.

"You know it's funny Detective Touma. Last night your police Captain said that to me as well. He was pretty adamant that he'd never negotiate with criminal scum like myself, however his mind changed pretty quick when I showed him I had access to his computer. The photos on there…" Haruno widens her eyes comically and blows up her cheeks. "So I _know_ he won't give the case to anyone."

She stands up and raises her arms above her head, then stretches.

"But you're a whole other story. I looked into your record and you're an absolute saint. Truly an inspiration for your hard work and honesty, so I'll be a little honest with you: Kyle Smith was an old employee of mine. He's retired now, in a way, so when I found out that you were visiting his house I rushed over and said hello to ol' Akane upstairs."

"You're insane."

"No… Just efficient. Now listen closely Touma because this is the important part: If you don't remove Shizuka Hiratsuka's name from your physical reports I will kill your ex-husband. If that's not enough, I'll bump off your kids as well. Nod if you understand."

He does so begrudgingly.

"Good! Then we're done here. The ketamine will wear off in a few hours and then you can go back to stopping car thieves and muggers."

Haruno claps her hands and begins to walk to the front door.

"Wait!" He yells out. "How did you know I was coming to this house?"

She grabs the handle and pulls it down.

"I'm good with computers, detective."

A moment later she walks out the door and heads to her car. As she enters the vehicle she dials 119 in her phone. It rings for a moment before a person answers.

"Japanese Emergency services, how may I help you?"

"Uhh… Please send help… I'm tied up in the bathroom and there is a policeman who's been drugged." She says as she pretends to cry and sound nervous.

"What is your location ma'am?"

She puts the keys in the ignition before throwing the phone out the window and driving off.

* * *

 **Hiratsuka's Apartment – 18:03**

Shizuka sits herself down at the dinner table along with her three students. They use their utensils to pick out the vegetables from the pot and add them to their respective plates. Once their dishes are full, they pull apart their chopsticks and begin eating.

"How is it?" Hiratsuka asks as she puts a mushroom in her mouth.

"It's yummy!" Yuigahama answers happily.

Hikigaya chooses to stay silent as he eats.

"I'm surprised you even had any food in your fridge, Hiratsuka."

The teacher laughs at Yukinoshita's remark, before responding.

"I always have food, Yukino. The problem is I get hungry and eat it, but since I knew I was having guests, I stocked up!"

"That's so nice of you Hiratsuka-sensei!"

"You guys deserve it. We're pretty much done with decorations. I'll go out and get the food and drinks for the festival soon. We're only working our stall on the second night, which means we'll be able to enjoy the rides and activities on day one."

"I can't wait." The brown-haired girl says in her regular cheerful tone.

"I suppose it will be quite enjoyable, even if Hikigaya is there to drag us down."

Shizuka throws a napkin at Yukino and frowns.

"No insults at my dinner table."

Hachiman leans back and clears his throat.

"Hiratsuka-sensei, I feel having someone like Yukinoshita in your home is insult enough."

She shakes her head disapprovingly, wanting nothing more than for the two them to get along.

After about twenty-minutes of eating and hearing passive-aggressive remarks thrown around, the four of them slowly finish up their meals and prepare to go home, picking up all their stuff as they walk to the door.

"Thank you so much for having us here, sensei." Yui says as she bows respectfully.

"Yes, thank you Hiratsuka."

Hachiman simply nods at her as he puts on his jacket and picks up his backpack. The three students leave the apartment and head down into the lobby together. As they exit the building a silver Toyota Prius pulls up and the window rolls down. A woman with light-brown hair leans out waving at the three of them.

"Mom!" Yui shouts as she runs towards the window and gives the older woman a hug.

She quickly runs back to Yukino and Hachiman and explains how she texted her mother to pick her up.

"Would you guys like a ride too?"

"No thanks." Hikigaya says with a bored expression, whilst noticing how strangely similar the mother and daughter look.

"Likewise. I feel like walking for a bit, Yui."

The brown-haired girl smiles and nods before heading over to the car and getting into the back seat. She waves to them as the vehicle drives away.

Hikigaya and Yukinoshita stand next to each other awkwardly.

"Well, I'm going this way." He says as he bumps past her, knocking their shoulders together.

"That's unfortunate. I'm going that way too."

The assassin does not wait up and continues his trek forward as she follows a few metres behind. There are a few cars on the street but for the most part, the pavements are empty. It's just about dark and the moon can easily be seen in the sky. After a few minutes of walking he abruptly turns a corner into an alley filled with cardboard boxes and large garbage bins.

"Where are you going?" She asks curiously.

He turns to her and pulls a small rod out of his jacket pocket. Hikigaya flicks his finger over a button and a blade extends out. Her blood runs cold as she watches him examine her knife.

"I had my suspicions it was you. This equipment is hard to come by. I've only seen it twice: On a train a few months back and on Friday last week."

"You picked my pocket…" Yukinoshita says, as she laughs in defeat.

"You're a good fighter. Krav Maga, Mauy Tai, Silat. You're proficient in all of them, just like me."

"That's right."

They look intensely into each other's eyes.

"But you're not a killer, like me."

She stays silent, knowing being alone with him in an alley at night puts her at a disadvantage.

'Do I run?'

"I'm not looking for a rematch, Yukinoshita." He says, almost answering her question. "It's clear you care for Hiratsuka. I don't know why, and it's also not my concern. I don't need to kill you and you don't need to try and kill me."

"I suppose you're right." She says anxiously.

He tosses her the knife and she catches it.

"I guess you're angry I killed Haru Kaito. Maybe he was your family, maybe he was your friend. I'm going to turn my back to you and walk away now. You can try and attack me, like you did last week, or you could leave and go home, then we'll see each other on Monday and pretend like none of this ever happened."

Yukinoshita clutches the knife and feels the same adrenaline pumping through her blood just like when they fought for the first time.

"If you choose to attack me, I will retaliate."

Hachiman turns around and puts his hands in his pockets before walking away from the wealthy-girl. Yukino scowls, feeling the urge to fight him, but she suppresses it.

'In the end, I want Hiratsuka to be safe. So if his mission is to protect her, then attacking him again would be unwise.'

As she rationalizes her decision in her mind, she sheathes blade and returns it to the pocket the assassin stole it from. Yukinoshita takes a deep breath, before turning and walking down the street. Whether or not this uneasy truce will last is unknown to both of them.

* * *

 **Tokyo Skyscraper – 21:07**

A man dressed in a white suit with no hair or eyebrows sits behind his desk as he looks through a ledger. The room he sits in is dark, with only a lamp in the corner of his large office. The lamp has a white light and only slightly illuminates the room. A ding goes off as two elevator doors open and a man holding a file walks into the the office.

The man is Taiwanese and wears a dark-blue suit with an ascot. He steps up to the desk, as his footsteps echo throughout the tiled room. This man is an assistant, and upon reaching his boss, he places a folder on the table and sighs.

"What's wrong?" The hairless man asks as he sits in front of a massive window that has a endless view of Tokyo behind him.

"Komanda It appears we have a problem with the assassin you hired to kill Shizuka Hiratsuka."

The man at the desk leans back in his expensive chair and raises his brow.

"What exactly is this problem?"

His voice is deep and gravily.

"We heard through the grapevine that he gave up the name of one of his old employers to someone in the Yukinoshita crime family."

"Why would he do that? Yukinoshita's handle drug trade. What would they need with an assassin's old employer?"

"We believe the assassin was hired to kill a relative of the Yukinoshita's. They tracked him down."

The hairless man puts his hands together and nods. On one of his fingers is a ring, with a gold star.

"This isn't good. If he's willing to give up someone his worked for in the past, then it's only a matter of time before it happens to us as well."

"We need leverage, sir."

"Do you have anything in mind?"

The assistant smiles.

"I looked into his records at _The Farm_. He's got a sister that he seems care a lot about."

"Go get her. We'll make sure this boy knows we are a force to be reckoned with."

"Will do, sir."

The Taiwanese man turns around and walks back towards the elevator, ready to put a plan in motion.

* * *

 **Authors Notes:** Yukino and 8man make a truce? Haruno threatens Reo's family? Yukinoshita's handle drug trade? Komachi being mentioned? Look at all these reveals, if you can call them that. Things are heating up. New chapter next week!


	25. Sister - Part 1

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: Haruno tracks down the detective investigating Hiratsuka to see everything he knows. She ends up at the Kyle Smith Residence, where she impersonates Akane Smith. Right as Touma leaves she reveals her true identity and threatens to hurt his family if he does not comply with her demands to forget about Shizuka Hiratsuka. The detective begrudgingly accepts and she goes off. With her promise to Yukinoshita and Hikigaya fulfilled, Haruno puts this all behind her.

Over on the other-side of Chiba - Yui, Hachiman and Yukino had dinner with their language teacher after finishing off the decorations for the upcoming festival. As they left, Yukino found herself alone with 8man where he confirmed her suspicions of him being the assassin who performed the hit on their uncle. They made a truce and parted ways. What will happen next? Find out!

* * *

 **Sunday - Yuta Hiratsuka Residence – 02:19**

A window clinks as Hikigaya pulls it up, and silently climbs into the massive house. Once inside he kneels down and looks around. He sees large bookshelves hugging the walls and a desk in the middle of the large room. After feeling around for a bit he eventually finds a light switch. Hachiman gently flicks it, and a small chandelier on the roof lights up and illuminates the home-office. His eyes quickly adapt, and he walks over to a desk and sits down in the chair.

Currently he is wearing jeans and a black polo-shirt. He is also currently breaking into his teacher's father's home.

The bookshelves surrounding him are made of smooth oak, and there is an expensive carpet covering the floor. On the table are some files, all neatly packed together. None of them seem of any interest so Hikigaya ignores them and opens one of the drawers. Inside are several pencils and a fudepen. He opens the next drawer, which houses even more documents. The assassin sighs and stands up.

'Hiratsuka's not going to give me what I need to know about her father anytime soon, and for better or worse this mission is nearing its end.'

He walks over to the door leading out the office and begins picking the lock.

'I've been taking too much time and now it's catching up to me. Yukinoshita was one thorough background check away from figuring out who I am and if I didn't do something about her she'd have comprised the mission. Even now it's up in the air for how long she'll keep my secret, but we both know Hiratsuka finding out wouldn't be good. So maybe she'll be quiet about it.'

As he finishes, he pulls down the handle and exits the study, switching the light off behind him.

'The judge lives alone - not including the security guarding the property - so I'll have enough time to go through most of the rooms. I don't know if I'll find anything though, but it's worth a shot.'

Outside the study, is a hallway connected to several doors and a staircase leading downstairs. Knowing he can't start flicking switches in every room Hikigaya takes out a small flashlight and shines it over the area ahead of him. He walks to the stairs and begins descending to the next floor. The walls to his left have photos hung up. The assassin takes a moment to look at them.

One of the photos is of three people. A man, a woman and a young girl. The girl looks about fourteen years old and has a big smile on her face. The two adults are also smiling albeit it more reserved. He continues to walk down the stairs, looking at the different images. Another one is of the same woman holding a baby, standing in front of a monkey exhibit at a zoo.

As the photos go on, the woman begins to appear in less and less pictures and then none at all. The photograph at the bottom of the stairs is of Hiratsuka at her graduation. She's standing next to a boy, who's holding her hand. Just like in the rest of the photos she's smiling. Hachiman doesn't waste too much time examining them and begins going through the rest of the house.

Opening drawers and cupboards leave very little trace you were ever there. It's moving things around that makes people suspicious, so he makes sure not to touch anything. This limits what he can find, but he needs this to be clean.

As suspected, the house holds nothing that he could want, and after about thirty minutes of perusing he heads back up the stairs and checks the last few rooms. When he is done, the assassin returns to the study and climbs back out the window. After sneaking past security and getting off the property, he begins his trek back home. Upon his arrival, Ryuzaki gives him some very bad news.

* * *

 **1 Year Earlier**

Hikigaya pulls out his pistol and turns off the safety, before gently placing his finger over the trigger. After raising his left hand, he makes a fist and bangs on the door in front of him.

 _ **KNOCK**_

 _ **KNOCK**_

He looks to his left, then to his right, preparing for the task at hand. Right now Hachiman is standing in the hallway of a hotel in Moscow, Russia. To the average citizen or tourist, this hotel is nothing more than a warm bed to sleep in but for the Federal Security Service this building acts a safehouse checkpoint when transferring persons of interest - namely political prisoners.

If a civilian were to enter looking for a room they'd simply be told by the front desk that the hotel was overbooked, however the hundreds of empty floors are indicative of the buildings true nature. In room 304, two agents sit at a table playing cards as the time passes. Their encrypted phones are placed next to them, and they are waiting to be contacted. The room they're in is a bare, with just the table and chairs.

Unfortunately, their game of Go Fish is brought to an abrupt end when they hear the knocking. Wasting no time, the two of them quickly stand up and take out their hand guns. One agent walks up next to the door and raises his firearm whilst the other goes up to the peephole and looks through.

 ** _PSEW_**

 ** _PSEW_**

Two silenced shots echo slightly through the baron hallway as the bullets are fired through the door and into the agent's legs. He falls down clutching his wound as the door gets kicked open. The other man's eyes widen as he sees a cannister fly in and bounce of the floor.

 _ **PING**_

It explodes and the man's view is filled with a bright white light, accompanied by a deafening ringing sound. Completely disorientated by the flashbang, he begins shooting frantically hoping to get lucky. As his gun empties Hikigaya enters the room and kicks the weapon out of his hand. He then punches the man in the face knocking him to the ground.

The wounded agent attempts to reach for his gun, but Hachiman pushes it away from him before taking a pair of zipties out of his coat pocket out and binding the operative's hands behind his back. The other agent rolls around on the floor as his vision and hearing slowly return. Wasting no time, the assassin binds his hands and legs as well, then pats him down for weapons.

Once satisfied, Hikigaya pulls both men up and sits them down on their chairs by the table.

"Вы допустили ошибку, за которую вы умираете." The wounded agent says angrily as blood pools by his feet.

Hachiman aims his gun at the man.

"I don't doubt it."

His response is in English.

"If you plan to kill us, do it. We have no words for you spy." The other agent says with a thick Russian accent and a scowl.

The man looks young and has a buzz-cut and a bit of stubble on his face.

"What's your name?" Hikigaya asks, now pointing the gun at the younger agent.

"Yuri." He responds, spitting at his captor's feet.

"Well Yuri, you and I are about to take a trip together."

"And why would we do that?"

Hachiman gets close to the man and looks directly into his eyes, before speaking fluently in Russian.

"Если вы не будете сотрудничать, Мария, Ольга и Люси, которые живут на улице Валпре на 79, завтра не проснутся. Вы понимаете?"

Yuri's eyes widen as he hears the assassin list the address of his wife and two children, before threatening to kill them if he doesn't cooperate.

* * *

 **Present Day – Rorona's Apartment – 07:46**

Rorona looks at himself in his bathroom mirror, as he pulls a razor blade down his face, giving himself a clean shave. The bathroom is still steamy from the shower he took and has the smell of hot water and AXE body spray being very prominent. Once he is done he rinses his jaw and begins getting dressed. While he isn't ripped, his body is in good shape and he keeps relatively healthy. After getting his clothes on, Rorona exists the bathroom and walks into his small living room.

Sitting happily on the couch is an eight-year old kid wearing a red shirt with crocs. He is dangling his feet off the edge and watching TV. The lights on the roof are broken, so there are several lamps placed on tables around the apartment. There are also a few different clothing items lying around on the floor.

"Hey little man, you eat your breakfast?"

The kid looks at Rorona and nods with a smile. On the glass coffee table in front of the couch is a paper plate with some crumbs and ketchup on top.

"Great, is your bag packed?"

Another nod.

"Then we gotta get outta here or mom's going to freak."

He waddles up to the kid and picks him up, then puts him on his shoulders. Rorona kneels down by the television and turns it off at the switch, then grabs a small _Ben 10_ backpack off the ground. As he leaves the apartment and locks the door, an overweight man in a vest at the end of the hall calls out to him.

"Aye, Rorona! Imma need that rent soon man. You can't keep me waiting."

"Yeah I'll pay you tomorrow!" He responds as he turns into the staircase.

"You say that everyday Rorona…"

The landlord shakes his head before knocking on someone's door.

Soon Rorona and the small child are out the apartment building and getting into a car. The car is a Maruti 800 and is far from easy on the yes, but it works well enough. A few moments later they start driving down the road. Eventually the child says something.

"Dad… How come I don't see you everyday."

Rorona looks at his kid, then back ahead.

"We already spoke about this. Every second Friday and Saturday we have to ourselves, then you're back to your mom for the rest of the week."

The child looks out the window.

"Yeah… I know that, but I wanna know why. Someone at school told me they see their mom and dad every day. It doesn't seem fair."

"Just trust your mother, Deishuu."

This is not the first time they've had this conversation and Rorona feels pretty awkward even speaking about it.

"Okay…"

They drive in silence for the rest of the way before pulling up in a nicer neighbourhood, across from an apartment block. A Caucasian woman wearing a green blouse and jeans walks out to the car and opens the passenger door. The lady has short black hair and very little makeup on.

"Hi sweetie." She says as she hugs Deishuu. "Hurry up inside, I'll be there in a moment."

The child does as she says and gets out the vehicle, before heading into the building while she stays leaning into the car.

"You're a bit early this week, well done."

"I didn't want you biting me head off… Again."

The two of them make little eye contact throughout the exchange.

"Have you got a job yet?"

The question annoys Rorona.

"Does it matter?"

"Yes. You need to support your son and yourself."

There is an awkward silence.

"Yeah I got some work. I'll see about sending you some cash."

"I can take care of my bills, Rorona. What I want to know is whether or not you can."

His phone starts to ring.

"Who's that?"

"Doesn't matter."

"You need to stop being so sec-"

"Listen, I've gotta take this call: It's work. We can speak another time..."

She reluctantly pulls out and walks away from the car, looking back once before entering the building. Rorona clicks the green answer symbol and raises his phone to his ear.

"Hello?"

 _"We need to meet."_

It's Hikigaya.

"Now's not really a good time."

 _"One hour. Hatake bar. You better be there."_

The call ends and Rorona throws his phone to the passenger seat.

"Asshole."

* * *

 **1 Year Earlier**

Hikigaya walks behind the FSS agent, pressing the barrel of his gun against the man's back. He is wearing jeans and big coat along with thick boots while the agent is dressed in a dark-grey suit. Yuri's hands have been unbound and they are now walking down the hall towards the elevator.

'My briefing stated that the Russian operatives are supposed to meet with another agent. From there they would be given the location of the next checkpoint at which they would be given custody of a prisoner. The prisoner is being taken to the same place as my target.'

The assassin continues to run through the orders in his head as he presses the button next to the elevator doors. As they open the two of them walk in and wait for it to descend to the ground floor.

"My partner will be bleed out if he doesn't get medical attention." Yuri says, gritting his teeth.

"Your partner looked pretty old. I'd hazard a guess he's in his late sixties, right?"

"So what?"

"That means he's probably ex-KGB. A zip-tie and a few bullets in his leg won't stop him."

Yuri chuckles as they feel the elevator begin to drop.

"Then you must be an idiot. If you know how dangerous he is, you should have killed him."

"When he does get out of his restraints, he'll head to a hospital. Once his wounds have been treated, I have no doubt he'll come after us but by then my job will be done."

"And what is your job? You are a spy, no?"

"I'm an assassin."

The elevator dings and doors open, revealing the hotel lobby. There are several people walking around and looking at the art on the walls. Some people are sitting by the bar whilst others are relaxing on the sofas. The floor is white and reflective, while the walls are wooden and shiny.

"If you're an assassin then who is your target?"

Hikigaya shakes his head as the two of them begin walk towards the exit.

"Why would I tell you?"

Yuri sighs as they reach the large revolving glass doors. Once out the hotel a wave of cold air hits them while they walk across a snowy Moscow street, filled with people wearing similarly large coats and hats.

"You are making a big mistake; my partner will alert our superiors when he escapes. You think you can deal with a hundred agents looking for you?"

"Honestly? It sounds like a fun challenge, but that won't happen. This is a clandestine operation, and the only way for you to get into contact with other FSS agents is to use your encrypted phones, which I now have both of in my pocket."

The Russian looks down in defeat as they continue along the sidewalk, feeling the snow drop from he sky and onto their clothes.

"I guess you've thought of everything."

"All the more reason for you to just do what I say and let this get over and done with."

* * *

 **Present Day - Hatake Bar – 09:21**

Rorona sits in his car staring at the bar across the street. The area isn't too busy, with just a few pedestrians walking around, along with the odd bus or taxi. He leans back and looks at the time on his phone, before taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. Not a moment later the side door opens and Hikigaya climbs into the passenger seat. The older of the two is surprised for a second, before seeing who it is.

"When you called me it sounded like an emergency, what's up?"

Hikigaya is wearing the same outfit as earlier and looks straight ahead at the bar. The building is wide with large black tinted glass windows, and a heavy looking door.

"There are a few things you need to know about me, Rorona."

His tone is low and there are bags under the assassin's eyes.

"Oh, really like what?"

"First of all, my name is Hachiman, so you can start addressing by that. Secondly, I have a younger sister who is twelve-years-old."

A confused expression grows on Rorona's face.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"My sister's name is Komachi and she is the only person I care about. A few hours ago, someone told me she's been captured."

"Shit."

"Yeah, shit."

"I still don't understand why you're telling me this."

"I'm telling you this, Rorona, because the people who kidnapped her are very, very powerful. These are the same people who hired me to find information on Shizuka Hiratsuka's father and then eliminate her."

"Why are you suddenly being so trusting with all this information?"

"Because I need you to understand the full gravity of the situation. They told my handler they took her to make sure I don't," He makes quotation marks with his fingers. "Try something stupid: Like betray my employer. That means somehow they found out I traded information with those women last week."

Rorona looks ahead.

"So, what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to find out where they are holding her and then I'm going to get her back. The problem is I'm not going to be able to do it alone. They'll suspect I'm coming and heavily guard the place she's in. My capabilities only stretch so far."

The older of the two chuckles slightly.

"You need my help…"

"Correct."

"And what's in it for me?"

"You said you wanted pay: If everything works out, I'll make sure you get a handsome reward."

Rorona nods indicating he accepts the deal.

"Do you know where she is?"

"Not yet, but when I took this mission I did a bunch of research on my employer. After having a bad experience a few months ago, I learned it's best to know exactly who's paying you. I have a lot of criminal contacts who gave me a run down on the the guy who hired me. Apparently he has no legal name but goes by the alias Komanda. He resides in Tokyo and is pretty much untouchable. Luckily he has an assistant."

Hikigaya points over to the bar across the street.

"The assistant comes here every day, and I'm certain he'll know where my sister is being held."

"How do you want to go about this then?"

"I have a few ideas."

Hachiman opens the car door and exits the vehicle. Rorona gets out as well, curious to see what he means.

* * *

 **Authors Notes:** Looks like 8man is on top of things. Can he and Rorona get Komachi back? Chapter 26 will be up next week!


	26. Sister - Part 2

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: Hikigaya and Rorona agree to work together to save Komachi after she is captured by 8man's employer. The two of them find themselves at a bar, which Komanda's assistant frequents.

* * *

 **Sunday - Hatake Bar – 09:31**

Hikigaya opens the front door and walks into the bar. Rorona enters in behind him and they're both greeted by the smell of tobacco and beer. The song "American Girls" by One Ok Rock is playing softly in the background.

Several men are seated at the tables around the bar, most of the guys are quite large and have shaved heads. Behind the counter is a barman who has his arms crossed. He has a white apron on, as well as a sleeve of tattoos running from both his wrists up to his neck. To his side is a long shelf, which has a seemingly infinite collection of alcohols placed on top. The tinted windows block out the sunlight, giving the interior a dim orange atmosphere.

The assassin scans the area and spots the man he's looking for sitting by himself near the wall. His left arm is rested on the counter while he sips on his drink using his right hand. Hikigaya strolls towards him, then sits down on the stool next to the assistant, while Rorona stands at the door watching. The man is dressed in a dark blue suit and has his hair slicked back. His glasses are folded up, and hanging from his white dress shirt, which has the top buttons undone.

"Hachiman. I've been expecting you." He says, whilst looking ahead at the shelves of alcohol.

"Where is she?" Hikigaya asks, cutting straight to the chase.

"As I'm sure your handler told you: We took your sister for insurance. Complete your mission and we'll be happy to return her. You're a professional so I'm sure you understand."

There is a tense silence.

"Let's not play any games. I know you're scared of me, so just tell me where she is."

The assistant chuckles and takes a large sip from his drink.

"And why do you think that?"

"Well for one, you're sitting in a bar surrounded by armed men. I can tell with just a glance half these guys would be happy to do some muscle work, so they no doubt work for Komanda, just like you. Except you can't do the things they do. You're corporate. Organised crime is your speciality. We both know what my speciality is, so I can say for certain that neither the bartender with a scattershot under the counter, the men guarding you or the CZ 75 semi-automatic pistol you've got on your leg will be enough to stop me."

Some of the guys by the booths look over at them.

"That's nice, but tracking me to a bar and listing some guns is a pretty weak intimidation tactic. My boss and I have a lot of enemies, so it'd be weird if I wasn't surrounded by my own men."

The song in the background begins to ramp up as Hikigaya raises his arms to do stretches.

"Where is my sister?"

"You're not going to take no for an answer, are you?" The man asks, finishing his drink.

"Not a chance."

As the chorus hits, the assistant takes his empty glass and attempts to smash it against Hachiman's head. Reacting quickly, the assassin grabs his arm and twists it. The bartender sees this and quickly bends down under the counter, grabbing a shotgun. With it in hand he stands up and pumps the gun aiming it Hikigaya. Before he can shoot, the assistant is pulled off of the stool and used as a human shield. The bartender hesitates and Hikigaya grabs the CZ 75 holstered on the assistants leg, then shoots the armed man in the hand.

He falls back and knocks over some glasses and bottles. Some men around the bar stand up and take out their guns, whilst the civilians run out. Hachiman - with the assistant still being used as a shield - turns around and begins to fire off shots, hitting the men in their legs and shoulders. Rorona watches as this plays out with his eyes wide.

A few moments later the assassin's magazine empties and he drops the gun to the ground. About six of the unarmed men see this and run over to Hikigaya in an attempt to restrain him. He throws the assistant to the side and punches one of the men in the throat. The next man meets a similar fate as he gets kicked in the liver. Rorona continues to stand awkwardly as the men who got shot moments ago stumble past him towards the exit clutching their wounds.

Eventually one of the brutes still inside sees Rorona and heads towards him, getting into a fighting stance. Rorona takes a second to realize the man wants to fight and hastily throws a punch. When he misses the man jabs him in the face and some blood begins to drip from his nose. He feels some adrenaline and throws another punch, this time connecting.

The two of them continue trading blows while Hikigaya beats down on several of the assistants other men. As the song in the background begins to subside Rorona gets one more lick in knocking his opponent out.

He looks over at Hikigaya who is surrounded by bloody men rolling around on the floor.

"Hey, I got this guy for you." Rorona says, pointing at his opponent.

Hachiman gives him a thumbs up and walks over to the assistant, who seems to have hit his head on the wall when he was thrown to the side and been knocked out. He pats the man down and finds a cell phone in his blazer pocket. The assassin goes through the contents for a minute before dropping it to the ground.

"Got the location." He says, walking past Rorona as a drop of sweat drips down his face. "Let's go."

"Hold on."

He stops walking and looks at the older man with a raised eyebrow.

"Let's make a quick pitstop first."

* * *

 **1 Year Earlier**

After about an hour of walking Hikigaya and Yuri arrive at the checkpoint: A bridge situated over a frozen lake. They stand in the middle, looking over the railing at the ice while people stroll past. Hachiman still has the gun to the Russian's back, although it is hidden under his coat so as to not alarm bystanders.

Over at one end of the bridge, the two of them notice a man wearing a black suit and sunglasses.

"There's the agent. Go speak to him and get the location of the next checkpoint. Then come back."

Yuri nods and starts to walk away from the assassin and towards the FSS agent. Hikigaya watches as the two Russian men initiate contact. It is very subtle, and you wouldn't notice if you weren't looking. One of them leans against the railings while the other looks off down the bridge. He continues to watch as a note is exchanged between them. After that Yuri begins to walk back. As he arrives he hands the small piece of paper to Hikigaya.

It has a location written in Chinese characters on it, prompting Hachiman looks at Yuri with a raised eyebrow.

"Russian thugs usually speak only Russian and maybe some English. We write locations down in Chinese to make sure that even if the information is intercepted, that they can't read it."

"What about Google Translate?" Hikigaya asks as he puts the note in his pocket.

"What?"

"Never mind."

The two of them begin walking to the other end of the bridge.

"Did the agent say anything to you?"

"He asked me where my partner was." Yuri answers as he looks around at the civilians.

"And what did you say?"

"That we got attacked and he was wounded, but the attacker was disposed of."

"Did he believe you?"

"If he didn't, I would not have been given the location."

"Good."

They walk in silence for a few minutes before Yuri begins speaking again.

"When this is all over, are you going to kill me?"

Hachiman sighs.

"We'll see."

"You might as well: For helping you I'll be charged with treason."

"Don't think about that right now. Let's just focus on the task at hand."

Yuri nods and they continue their trek to the next checkpoint.

* * *

 **Present Day - Chiba Streets – 09:46**

Rorona drives his car up to an old-looking building with Hikigaya in the passenger seat. After parking the car, they get out and walk over to the back of the building, where they find a door. The older of the two inserts a key into a padlock and unlocks it.

"What is this place?" The assassin asks as the door opens revealing a staircase going down.

"If the location your sister is being held is as dangerous as you say, then we're going to need some firepower to match."

Rorona walks ahead and begins descending down the steps. Hikigaya watches him with a bored expression before following suit. Once they reach the bottom, Rorona opens another door leading to a wide-open basement.

Hachiman looks around as he walks in, seeing a bed along with a few desks and crates placed on a smooth concrete floor.

"Where are we?"

"There used to be a mall above here along time ago. It was torn down and replaced with an apartment block. I guess they thought it'd be cheaper to ignore the basement than to fill it in."

Rorona flips a switch and several long rectangle ceiling lights come on, illuminating the large area.

"How'd you find out about it?"

"A couple years ago I got a job as a construction worker. Me and some other guys cleaned this place out."

"You were a construction worker?"

"Well, I wasn't very good at it. I had a lot of jobs before getting into the business of being a mercenary."

Hachiman continues to look around the basement.

"How do you go from construction worker to being mercenary?"

"My partner set it up."

"The one I killed?"

Rorona sighs.

"Yeah."

"You don't seem to hold much of a grudge about that."

"Truth be told? He was an asshole and got what's coming to him."

Hikigaya finds a pile of guns, next to a box.

"I thought I told you to sell these."

"I tried but it's not like I can just go up to someone and say 'Here have an assault rifle, that'll be fifty-thousand yen' you know?"

"Doesn't matter. They'll be good enough to use when we get my sister." He says as he kneels down and examines an M16. "We'll need some kind of body armour as well though."

"Yeah I've got a couple in one of the boxes over there." Rorona responds pointing over to the left.

"Alright, we have guns, we have armour. Looks like we're set."

The two of them grab what they need and walk over to the stairs, before quickly exiting the building. Rorona puts the padlock back on as they leave. They throw some of the guns into the backseat of his car and put on their flak jackets. A few moments later they get into the vehicle and begin their drive towards the address on the assistants phone.

* * *

 **1 Year Earlier**

As the sun begins to set, Hikigaya and his Russian asset come upon the next checkpoint: A barbershop in the shopping district. Like most of the other places they've been today, hundreds of people are walking around, completely unaware of what's going on.

To the right of the salon is a market selling fresh fruits and vegetables, while to the left is the next street. The assassin backs away while Yuri walks up to the glass door and knocks. A slightly overweight man exits the store and the two of them exchange a few words in Russian, before the man walks back in. Yuri follows behind him and enters the barbershop. It is narrow, with several chairs squeezed in and - as expected - the smell of hair and shaving cream dominate the area. The store is lit up by white lights on the roof and on the mirrors there are a few LEDs that have constantly changing hues.

The man opens up another door which leads to a secret room in the back. Both agents enter. Inside the room is a man lying on the floor with a black bag over his and zip ties around his wrists.

"Это тот парень. У нас есть автомобиль снаружи." The chubby operative says as he puts a cigarette in his mouth and walks back up the stairs.

Yuri grabs the prisoner by the arm and pulls him up. The man is average height and dressed in torn up clothes that are stained with blood. He struggles a bit as he is guided from the back room and out the barbershop. Few civilians pay attention to Yuri and the tied up man as they make their way to the Toyota Prius waiting for them next to the store.

Seeing them back on the street Hikigaya jogs over to the car, as the prisoner is thrown in the back. Yuri looks over at the assassin as the distance between them closes.

"This is guy, right?"

The Russian nods as Hachiman gets into the backseat next to the man. He quickly pulls off the black bag, causing the prisoner to look around in surprise.

"Hi." He says with a smile.

The prisoner is Caucasian with dirty blonde hair and looks at Hikigaya with wide-eyes as he pants softly.

"W-Who are you?"

* * *

 **Present Day – Old School - 19:27**

As night time comes Rorona and Hikigaya sit parked outside an old school that's been scheduled for demolition next year. There are several men patrolling the building all heavily armed. Throughout the day the two of them watched as even more men arrived. Needless to say, after the fight at the bar, the guards are no doubt expecting them.

The assassin studies their movements and uses a detached sniper scope to get an even better look. Most of the open windows have a guard standing with an assault rifle, looking out at the streets below. On the roof of the building are four men who walk around the perimeter in circles. At the halfway point on each side two men will cross each other.

By the street are guards who walk in a similar patrol, however instead of four there are twelve. Half of them have assault rifles while the other half are armed with handguns. Each guard has a walkie-talkie and they check in with each other every thirty minutes. An hour or two ago Hikigaya intercepted their frequency and began listening to their transmissions.

It's about as standard as you'd think and gives him the opportunity to gauge guard reactions. The men have been stationed out here for a full day now and have begun to pay less attention to people. Despite knowing someone could attack at any moment they are extremely lax. For instance, none have noticed Rorona's car parked a street over from the the school.

After about thirty more minutes of watching them, Hikigaya takes out his handgun and checks to see if everything is in order. Once he's done, he holsters it and checks his karambit, before holstering that as well.

"It's time." He says, breaking the silence.

"Do you have a plan?" Rorona asks, looking over at the assassin.

"Yes."

"You mind sharing it with me?"

Hachiman looks at him, before opening the car door.

"Take out the patrolling guards, then brute force our way to the middle of the building and get my sister."

Rorona nods and gets out the car.

"Anything else?"

Hikigaya gets out as well and shuts the door behind him.

"They all die. No survivors."

* * *

 **Authors Notes:** Chapter 27 will be up next week!


	27. Sister - Part 3

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: Hikigaya and his Russian asset arrive at the final checkpoint, where they are met with a political prisoner. In the present, 8man and Rorona finish their preparations to rescue Komachi.

* * *

 **Sunday – Old School – 20:01**

The sky is dark and the wind is blowing softly, with the full moon brightly reflecting the suns rays on to the streets below. Two men dressed in grey v-neck shirts and black cargo pants stand in front of the school gate. Their shift just started a few minutes ago, and they are casually chatting amongst themselves as they watch the street ahead.

"No! You're missing the point man…"

"How?"

"I'm just saying at the end of the day it doesn't matter if you put the milk or the cereal in the bowl first, because the result is the same."

The guard sighs.

"Nah… It just doesn't feel right."

His partner chuckles.

"It doesn't feel right? What does that even mean?"

"There's a process to things. We put the milk in last for a re-"

 _ **PSEW**_

 _ **PSEW**_

The man's sentence is abruptly cut off when Hikigaya fires a silenced 9mm shot into his head, instantly killing him. The other guard takes a moment to register what happened, before he meets the same fate. The assassin steps over their bodies and enters the premises, with Rorona following suit. The two of them are dressed in their normal clothes except with body armour covering their torsos. On their backs they each have an assault rifle with limited ammunitions.

By the side of the school building, two guards pass each other doing their patrols.

 _ **YEET**_

They both hear a whistle and turn around to face the direction it originated from. As they are distracted, Hachiman comes up behind one of the guards and puts his hand over the man's mouth, before firing two shots into his back. The body makes a soft thud as it hits the ground and the assassin quickly shoots the other man as he turns around. Once they're both on the floor, he fires a shot into each of their heads before walking away.

Rorona sees this and raises an eyebrow. A few moments later he hears a guard coming and surmises the man will turn the corner and see the bodies. He backs up against the wall as the guard walks past. Once behind him, Rorona pistol whips the back of the guy's head and knocks him out. The guard quickly falls to the ground prompting him to kneel down and search the body.

Hikigaya peeks behind a corner before turning back around and noticing Rorona has stopped following him.

"What are you doing? We need to clear out these patrols quickly." The assassin says as he walks up to him, noticing the unconscious man.

"If this guy has a walkie-talkie then we can keep track of where the guards are."

He watches as the older man searches the body, before pulling out the desired item as well as a wallet and a small gold-star.

"Okay, I got it let's-"

 _ **PSEW**_

Blood splatters all over Rorona's body and face as Hachiman shoots the unconscious guard in the head without warning.

"Jesus Christ, what the hell?!" Rorona asks in shocks as he wipes his face.

"No survivors." Hachiman answers nonchalantly after taking a deep breath. "What's the problem?"

Rorona shakes his head and stands up.

"Listen shooting someone who's attacking you is one thing, but you just executed this guy."

As they make eye-contact, the older of the two feels a chill run down his spine, recognizing the look in the assassin's eyes as the same one he had when they first met at the warehouse.

"This isn't a reconnaissance mission, Rorona. We're not here to follow some teacher around. If we get overwhelmed, we die. Leave if you don't like it."

"The hell do you mean 'leave'?" Rorona asks, now angry and annoyed. "You wanted me to help you with this!"

"Then help."

"I'm trying, but I'm not used to you acting like a pyscho. You're usually more… I don't know…"

Hikigaya looks at the body and feels slightly uncomfortable. A moment later he turns around and begins walking back to where the next patrol will be. The older of the two follows behind him, unsatisfied.

* * *

 **1 Year Earlier**

"W-Who are you?" The American man asks with a look of intense fear in his eyes, as he sits in the back of the car next to Hikigaya.

"Does it matter?" Hachiman replies while Yuri gets into the driver's seat.

"P-Please… You have got to help me! I was just here on vacation and I… Made a few Reddit posts then-"

"I don't care Johnathon." The assassin says, cutting him off.

"W-What? You're a spy right? You were sent to rescue me from these Russian monsters?"

Hachiman sighs and pulls out his karambit.

"Why does everybody think I'm a spy?"

The question is rhetorical but the American takes it very seriously when he sees the knife and backs up against the door, trying to open it. Yuri sees this in the rear-view mirror and chuckles.

"Childproof locks. They're a bitch."

Hearing the man's thick Russian accent, Johnathon begins to tear up.

"P-Please you have to let me go…"

He raises his hands to surrender. Not a moment later, Hachiman takes the karambit and slices open the zip-ties. This causes the man to cry a little less.

"I'm not going to hurt you Johnathon, so calm down."

The man nods frantically as Hikigaya reaches into one of his pockets and hands the American an envelope.

"This is a fake identity. It's not perfect but it'll get you back to the United States. There's enough money for taxis, five star hotels and whatever else you may need to get home."

"Oh my god thank you!"

"Don't thank me yet. Those drones you posted about online: You're going to forget all about them. In fact, you're never going online again."

John begins to look around as he wipes his eyes.

"But the people need to know that Russia is-"

"No. They do not. If you ever make so much as blip on any government's radar, then it won't be the Russians you have to worry about. It'll be me."

There is a long pause as the American looks through the contents of the envelope.

"Why are you helping me?"

"Because I think you're useful, like an ace in the hole. The car you're sitting in now, was about to take you to a black site, where you would've been interrogated until you gave the FSS what they want to know or until you died."

"Heavy shit."

"Yeah, for you it would be, but that black site is precisely where I need to go."

"Why?"

"That's classified information, John."

Yuri presses a button and the back doors unlock.

"So, I'm free to go? As long as I stay off the grid?"

"Correct."

Johnathon pulls on the handle and opens the car door, feeling the cold air on him.

"One more thing." Hikigaya says as he grabs the man's arm. "I'm going to need your index finger."

* * *

 **Present Day – Old School – 20:12**

Rorona and Hikigaya spend the next ten minutes dealing with the rest of the guards patrolling the building. As expected the assassin kills indiscriminately whilst Rorona opts for incapacitation when possible.

After they've dealt with everyone the two of them walk up to the front doors of the large structure. Hachiman slowly reaches out and pulls down the handle, then gently pushes the door forward. He looks at his partner and gives him a nod, indicating the door is unlocked. The two of them raise their guns as they enter, paying close attention to their surroundings.

The door leads to a lobby that has several hallways intersecting with it, as well as a large office right at the end. The office has a large glass pane with a square opening, no doubt for people who came into the school to speak to the secretary.

Of course, due to the nature of the building there is no secretary, instead there is a guy sitting by a lamp eating a donut. He sees Rorona and Hachiman, before quickly fumbling for his gun, while dropping the powder on his treat all of over his shirt.

 _ **PSEW**_

 _ **PSEW**_

Hikigaya gives him no time and shoots him in the chest and head. The man's body slowly slides off the chair and awkwardly curls over on the floor. Two other men in a close by hallway here the faint sound of bullets and quickly run in, firing their handguns at the intruders. Hikigaya and Rorona dive for cover behind a wall as bullets start flying at them.

 _ **BZZZ**_

The walkie-talkie makes a buzzing sound as a man speaks through the device.

" _He's here. Get everyone down to the lobby!"_

Rorona peeks behind the corner before quickly pulling back as a bullet hits the piece of the wall his head was just at. The sound of several footsteps can be heard as men from the different hallways converge on their position. The assassin looks around and notices a fire extinguisher hanging next to him.

"How good's your memory?" He asks the older man as a plan begins to form.

"What?" Rorona replies, as he fires two shots from behind their cover to keep the approaching guards at bay.

"On a scale of one to ten, how good is your memory?"

"I-I don't know… Maybe an eight?"

Hikigaya nods as he pulls the fire extinguisher off the wall and cradles it in his arms.

"Peek behind the corner and see how many men are there. Then describe their positions from left to right in a clockwise fashion."

Rorona reluctantly turns his head around the corner, and sees the guards with their guns raised.

"Okay, there are seven men at various places all over the lobby… Now what?"

The assassin smirks and stands up.

"Follow my lead."

He takes a deep breath and throws the tank around the corner before raising his handgun and shooting it. The guards watch as the extinguisher explodes, and the now uncompressed air blows white foam all over the place. The entire lobby soon becomes engulfed, obscuring the men's vision and disorientating them. While they are distracted, Hikigaya turns the corner and looks down the site of his gun.

Like the men, he too can't see anything due to the foam, but of course this is all part of the plan.

"Rorona! Positions now!"

"Uhh… Seven o'clock." He says, stumbling a bit on his words.

Hikigaya turns his body to the left and fires his gun blindly into the foam.

 _ **PSEW**_

"AHH."

As the shot goes off so does the sound of guard grunting and dropping to the floor. Rorona raises an eyebrow before smiling and nodding.

"Nine o'clock!" He yells out, as he too stands up and leaves their cover.

Once again, there is a shot, followed by a grunt. The two of them continue firing into the foam, hitting each of the guards one by one as Rorona lists their positions from memory. As they finish off the last man Hachiman quickly walks through the foam and up to a door with the label "Stairway". He then shoots several bullets into the hinges before giving the door a kick, opening it.

Rorona catches up behind him and they head through the doorway and up the wide stairs.

"You said they're keeping your sister in the middle of the building, right? That'd be the second floor."

"Correct. The guards were discussing it on the walkie-talkies and a quick look at the blueprints on Google gave me the impression she'd most likely be held in the science lab, since it's the largest class in that part of the building."

"Got it."

They waste no time and quickly ascend the stairs, heading straight for the lab as more guards arrive at the lobby looking for them.

* * *

 **1 Year Earlier**

In the glove compartment, Yuri finds the location of the next checkpoint. As soon as the American has left he starts the car and begins to drive to the address written down in Chinese characters. While he drives, Hikigaya sits in the back wearing the black bag over his head and holding a severed finger in his hands. He also took the opportunity to zip-tie his wrists together.

Yuri looks at the assassin through the rear-view mirror with a worried expression.

After driving for two hours, the cars and buildings around them begin to decrease in frequency. Another hour of driving takes them to the outskirts of Moscow, where they eventually come to a stop outside of a massive factory.

Hikigaya feels the vehicle slow down and starts to unholster his weapons. Firstly, he removes the two hand guns strapped to his sides, then the one inside his boot. He also takes out his karambit and leaves it on the floor of the vehicle.

The Russian man gets out of the car and walks to the backdoor, before opening it and leaning in.

"So, what's the plan now?" Yuri asks Hikigaya.

"Take me into the compound as if I'm the American. From there I'll be taken by another agent to my destination."

"And after that we're done? You'll leave my family alone?"

"No. Once you've handed me off, come back to this car and wait. I'll need an escape when I'm finished."

Yuri sighs and grabs Hachiman by the shoulder then pulls him out the vehicle and out into the cold street. They begin to walk down the pavement towards the end of the factory.

After about five minutes they come across a large fence that has several men standing with their arms folded in front of it. Yuri guides Hikigaya towards them, then exchanges a few words with the men in Russian before they step aside and let him through. The fence leads them into a large open space. On the right are a small set of stairs that lead to a massive door that has its shutters raised. The door has a striped black and yellow frame and two buttons on the side. One button is red and the other is green.

Yuri and Hachiman quickly ascend up the steps and enter the building. A few moments later they are stopped by an agent in a suit similar to Yuri's.

"Это он?" The operative asks, as he looks at the black bag.

"да."

The man nods and pulls out a tablet looking device. He hands it over to Yuri before giving him a few more instructions. Yuri's heart begins to race as the agent explains what he must do. The Russian just asked Yuri to scan Hikigaya's finger print to confirm his identity. Obviously since the real prisoner escaped earlier this would be an issue, but Hachiman came prepared.

As the assassin's hand is placed on the tablet, he subtly sticks out the cut-off index finger and presses it against the screen.

 _ **BEEP**_

The device beeps loudly, and several images appear of the screen. Yuri suppresses his worried look as he hands the tablet back to the agent. A few moments later the man gives Yuri a thumbs up and grabs Hikigaya by the arm, before forcefully taking him further into the factory.

* * *

 **Present Day – Old School – 20:23**

As Rorona and Hikigaya arrive at the science lab, they see several men stationed outside the door. The two of them are quickly met with a hail of gun fire from the men. They back up behind a corner as the bullets fly past them. Hachiman cringes as he feels one of the shots graze his leg.

"You okay?" Rorona asks as he notices the blood.

"Nothing I can't handle."

These guards in particular are armed with assault rifles instead of the standard handguns. This prompts the assassin to holster his pistol and take the m16 he has strapped on his back into his arms. Rorona does the same and they get ready to fire.

"We only have one magazine each, so make your bullets count." Hachiman says as he peeks the barrel around the corner.

Rorona feels some anxiety, as he takes a deep breath. Suddenly several shots ring out through building as Hikigaya fires his automatic weapon at the guards. Rorona leans over the assassin and begins firing around the corner as well.

 _ **PRRR**_

 _ **PRRR**_

Bullets shower everything from the walls to the lockers, accompanied with loud sounds of gunfire. As Rorona's magazine empties, he suddenly feels a powerful force knock him down. The older of the two falls onto his back and hits his head against the tiled hallway floors. Hachiman sees this and quickly backs up behind the corner again, as the guards whisper amongst themselves, while slowly approaching.

"What's wrong?"

Sweat begins to drip down the older mans face as he feels a wet spot under his ribs.

"I-I think I've been hit…"

Knowing there isn't much time, the assassin looks down at the ground, trying to think of what to do.

"Okay. Stay still."

"Shit."

Hikigaya closes his eyes for a moment before turning the corner and firing his last few bullets into the guards. Four or five of them drop down while three others - not realizing he is out of ammo - run away. He promptly throws the m16 to the side and begins sprinting towards the retreating men.

As he catches up to one, Hachiman pulls out his karambit and tackles the man from behind. The guard fights back and rolls over, getting on top of the assassin. Before he can do anything, Hikigaya drives the blade into his neck and blood begins to pour out. He closes his eyes and mouth tightly, as his face gets covered in said blood. Wasting no time, he quickly drops the man next him and stands up.

The assassin looks around and sees the other two men who ran away staring at him with terrified expressions. Their backs are up against a wall, and they had accidentally gone to a dead end. The dim school lights shine behind the assassin, causing his silhouette to appear all black. One of the men drops to his knees and begins crying. The other guard sees this and quickly does the same.

While blood drips off of him, Hachiman begins walking towards the men. He watches as they cry and feels his heart race. As the distance between them closes, he takes out his pistol and fires a shot into one of the men. The body curls over on the ground, now with a large fraction of it's head missing. Hikigaya looks at the other man for a moment, before executing him as well.

With both of them dead, Hikigaya turns around and begins walking back down the hallway, stepping over several other bodies. As passes them, he kneels down by a locker and vomits on the ground. After wiping his face, he quickly hurries back to the wounded Rorona.

Hachiman removes the older man's body armour to get a better look at the bullet hole. He analyses the wound for a few seconds before standing up and extending his hand.

"There isn't much bleeding, and it went clean through your fat tissue. You'll be fine, so long as we get it cleaned."

Rorona chuckles with relief as he takes the assassin's hands and feels himself get pulled back onto his feet.

"Ugh." He groans as he feels the sharp pain in his side.

"We need to hurry. More men will come soon." Hikigaya says, while walking over to the science lab door, followed by Rorona.

He kicks it several times before the lock gives in, and the door opens revealing the classroom inside. The two of them quickly head in. Unfortunately, they are greeted with none other than a man pressing a handgun against a young girl's head.

"Nobody move or I'll kill her! I promise!"

Hachiman slows down and raises his arms in surrender as he looks over at his sister, who has a her hands tied behind her back with rope. The man has one arm wrapped around her waist with his other hand holding the gun. He looks angry but scared, and also very serious about the threat. The classroom they are in is relatively bare, with some chairs stacked up in the corner and no tables. On the other end of the class is a bolted down teachers desk, where the man is standing. On the desk is a plate of a food and half empty bottle of water.

"Hi, Komachi." Hikigaya says nonchalantly, while Rorona leans against the chalkboard, clutching his stinging wound.

The girl has a dark-black shoulder length hair and she is wearing a navy-blue dress, with zebra stripe leggings and sneakers.

"P-Please help me Hachiman… I'm scared."

She trembles as she speaks, looking as though she is on the verge of tears. Her older brother sees this and raises an eyebrow.

"Are you armed?" The guard asks authoritatively, as he stares at the blood soaked boy in front of him.

"No." Hikigaya lies.

"Good."

The man takes his arm off the young girl's waist and reaches behind his back, pulling out a walkie-talkie. He presses a button on the side, causing the device to buzz.

"I got him. What should I do?"

Another man begins speaking through the walkie-talkie, while the guard patiently listens.

"Understood." He says, as he gets his orders.

The guard takes the handgun off of Komachi's temple and points it at Hikigaya. Her look of fear instantly disappears and is replaced with a grin. Not a moment later the young girl jumps up high into the air and raises her legs while bringing her arms up in front of her. She simultaneously throws her head back and hits the guard in the nose. Komachi then grabs his arm and knees him in the elbow. The man yells out in pain as everyone in the room hears the loud crack.

He falls to the floor, dropping the gun. As he writhes around, Komachi kneels down and picks up the firearm before looking down the sites and firing a shot into the mans head. Hikigaya looks away, right before the shot goes off.

After backing up from the pooling blood, the young girl effortlessly unties the ropes around her hands, then runs up to her brother and gives him a big hug.

"It's been too long, Hachiman." She says, nestling her face in the bloody body armour covering his chest.

"It's only been a few months…" He responds with a smile.

Komachi pouts as she holds onto him tighter. A few seconds later, she lets go and begins doing some stretches.

"Well I'm glad you finally came to get me. It was pretty boring here."

"I wasn't sure if you needed the help, but I didn't want to risk it."

She turns around and gets into a complicated yoga position before responding.

"I would have escaped sooner but I needed a vacation. I've been going on a lot of missions lately."

She quickly changes into a different position. Rorona sees this and confused look appears on his face. Suddenly Hikigaya begins hearing a lot of commotion coming for outside the classroom.

"We can speak more at the safehouse, right now we need to go."

Komachi nods as she stands up and raises her gun. Rorona gets up as well and finds an assault on on one of the bodies. He picks it up and gets ready to fight. The three of them proceed to gun their way through the school until they reach the exit of the building. As they get out, they use Rorona's car to flee the scene.

* * *

 **Authors Notes:** Chapter 28 will be up next week!


	28. Christmas Festival - Part 1

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: 8man arrives at the FSS blacksite, while in the present he and Rorona successfully rescue Komachi.

* * *

 **Thursday - Safehouse – 06:07**

Hikigaya opens the bathroom door and walks out into the hallway, followed by a cloud of steam from the hot shower water.

He is wearing his white school shirt with a few buttons at the top undone, along with his standard school pants. Around his neck is a green towel that's catching the water droplets falling from his hair. Upon entering the living room, he finds Komachi wearing a teal vest and shorts, while standing on one hand doing stretches. Her odd behaviour is nothing new, and she's always been prone to exercise at bizarre times, which has led to a few kids picking fights with her.

After taking Komachi back to the safehouse, Hikigaya paid Rorona a large sum of money for helping out. He also had Ryuzaki send a message to Komanda, explaining how Hachiman is happy to continue the mission so long as they leave his sister out of it.

It doesn't take long for the young girl to notice him and she promptly uses her arm to push herself into the air, before doing a small flip and landing on her feet.

"Morning, Hachiman!" She greets, while making a peace sign with her middle and index finger.

He smiles and sits down on the sofa. The couch is against a wall and to the right is the front door leading out. Ahead of the sofa is a kitchen, followed by a hallway leading to two bedrooms. The walls are a grayish-white with the tiled floors being a similar colour.

"Komachi, it's been almost a week since Rorona and I got you out of that compound. You know you're free to leave at any time, right?"

She quickly waddles to the sofa and gets herself seated next to him.

"I do know that but… This safehouse is so nice! You and Ryuzaki have an amazing Wi-Fi connection and also a Netlifx _and_ Hulu subscription. Plus, I can eat anything I want. The food at The Farm sucks and you know it!"

Hachiman thinks back to his time as a child doing his training. He was always top of his class and got to go on missions significantly earlier than most of the other children.

"The food is pretty bad but that isn't an excuse. You need to get back in contact with your handler."

Komachi raises her arms in the air and over-dramatically falls onto her side, resting her legs on Hikigaya's lap.

"Not all handlers are the same. Nana is a real bitch. She's super strict and always makes me do things her way. Ryuzaki gives you so much freedom."

"You just need to apply yourself more. Your hand-to-hand is flawless and you're probably a better sharpshooter than I am, but you insist on messing around."

His sister crosses her arms and scoffs.

"Compliments won't score you any higher in my book, Hachiman."

A moment later Ryuzaki walks out from the kitchen, holding a plate of food. He looks at the young girl on the couch and smiles warmly.

"You're still here, Komachi?"

 _ **WHOOSH**_

A pillow is thrown from the sofa to kitchen, hitting Ryuzaki in the face.

"Don't say such mean things with a nice face, old man!" Komachi yells out.

Ryuzaki chuckles and begins walking to his room.

"How is that Rorona guy by the way?" She asks, changing the subject.

"The bullet basically just went through the fat on the side of his torso, so if anything, it did him a favour. He got back to work two days ago."

"Back to work?"

"He follows my target around for me and keeps tabs on her. I pay him... Sometimes."

"Ah yes, your big undercover mission… Sounds pretty boring."

He gently pushes her legs off his lap and stands up.

"Like I said, you need to get into contact with Nana and I need to go to school. Today is a big day."

She raises an eyebrow.

"Why?"

Hikigaya sighs and puts on his blazer.

"Today is the last day of preparation for the Christmas Festival."

* * *

 **1 Year Earlier**

Hikigaya feels himself get thrown onto the ground, before hearing something lock behind him. The black bag remains over his head, essentially blinding him. After feeling around, he determines that he's in a small cage. The cages walls are made of chain-link and there is a thick material on the other side. With this information in mind, Hachiman kneels down and pulls a small knife out of the bottom of his shoe. Given the amount of checkpoints that the real prisoner would've gone through, the agents at this factory would assume he's already been searched several times and not worry about it.

The assassin takes the knife and begins cutting the zip-ties. After a few seconds, the blade slices through the nylon and the restraints fall to the ground. He rubs his sore wrists, before pulling the black bag off of his head, and looking around. The cage is about 2x2 metres and the floor is made of cold grey concrete. The material over the chain-link fence blocks all view outside, and therefore any view inside as well, meaning Hikigaya can move around this small area freely.

The cage is dark, and it takes him a minute to get his sense of direction. Once he is ready, he turns to the left and walks over to the fence. He uses his knife to pull the links apart and create an opening. This is no easy task and takes him about twenty minutes. Throughout this time, he listens as the agents walk around and speak amongst each other. He also hears the faint sound of screaming from other sides of the factory.

Hikigaya pulls on the now broken fence. The hole he made is about half a metre long and will be easy enough to fit through. He takes the knife and pushes it into the material, then slowly drags it down, creating an opening in the dark cloth. A moment later he peaks through. The cage he is in is one of about fifty. All the cages are sitting next to each other and are made of the same chain-link and material combo. Hachiman's cage is right on the corner.

This area of the factory is massive and several tall and very muscular men can be seen patrolling. None of these men look particularly happy and have several scars running down there faces and arms. Hikigaya crawls out of his cage and quickly runs over to a pillar. He puts his back against the concrete as a guard walks past. Once clear, he runs to another pillar and hides behind that.

Right now, stealth is the best option. The factory has some cover, but a gunfight wouldn't be ideal, so he stays is the shadows.

* * *

 **Present Day – Sobu Highschool – 10:36**

As the bell for lunch rings, Hikigaya packs up his books and walks out the classroom, where he is greeted with several students and teachers jogging up and down the halls, all carrying boxes of varying sizes.

The hallway is packed with people thinking and speaking about the festival. It's such a big event that any student who is willing to help the teachers set up for tomorrow night has been given special permission to skip class for the day. Hiratsuka wasn't the only teacher who gathered a few students to help with her bit of work, in fact most teachers did this. For the past week everyone has been super busy trying to make the event as perfect as possible.

Frankly, Hikigaya couldn't care less and thinks the festival is a big waste of time for little to no payoff. Despite his misgivings, Hiratsuka isn't offering him much of a choice. She told him if he doesn't help her, that she'd give him detention for everyday of the week. That's probably against the rules but given the importance of the Christmas Festival, it's likely the school board would look the other way.

Hachiman sighs and makes his way to classroom 6-E, before opening the door and walking in. Inside he finds a familiar sight: Yukinoshita and Yuigahama sitting together with Hiratsuka leaning against the chalkboard.

"Hikki!" Yui yells out as she sees him.

"Don't call me that." He responds sternly, well-aware she will continue to do it.

Shizuka looks at him and smiles. Yukino also looks at him, but instead offers a very callous scowl. Ever since they spoke in the alley on Friday, she has been thinking of nothing but him, and every time the two of them are in the same room, Yukinoshita appears visibly upset.

Both Yuigahama and Hiratsuka have noticed the tension between them has greatly increased recently. Hiratsuka has mentioned it a couple of times, but obviously it would be difficult for the assassin to explain how one year ago he infiltrated a gang hideout and executed Yukino's uncle, then met with her and Haruno in a parking lot, where they exchanged blows with each other.

"Go away." The wealthy-girl says angrily.

"Gladly." Hikigaya responds, as he turns around and opens the door he came from.

The teacher quickly jogs towards him and grabs Hachiman by the arm.

"He's not going anywhere."

Yukino scoffs as he begrudgingly sits down by the opposite end of the table in the middle of the room. Shizuka walks back to the chalkboard and gets ready to speak.

"Now that we're all here, let's go over everything regarding our stall. The decorations and food are all ready, they just need to be transported to the sports field, where all the tents and rides are currently being set up. The festival starts tomorrow night at five o'clock, but we only have to man our stall on Saturday evening."

"So does that mean I don't have to show up tomorrow, Hiratsuka-sensei?" Hachiman asks, whilst pulling a small light novel out of his bag.

She chuckles before speaking.

"Unfortunately, that's a 'no' Hikigaya. It's mandatory that all teachers attend both nights to make sure nothing happens. You'll be keeping me company while I supervise."

"That seems unfair, don't you think?"

The teacher sarcastically puts two fingers on her chin, as if she's in deep thought.

"Hmm, I suppose it is unfair, but you still have to come."

He shakes his head disapprovingly as Hiratsuka grins. Throughout this exchange, Yukinoshita stares at the assassin with a furious look on her face.

"You should be excited Hikki! Yukinon and I will be at the festival tomorrow as well. We can all stick together, right?" Yuigahama asks cheerfully, as she looks at her friend.

"Sure." The dark-haired girl responds, gritting her teeth.

Yui notices how her friend is acting and feels slightly anxious.

"Great! Now the four of us need to take these boxes to main field. Let's go."

Hiratsuka walks over to the pile of boxes filled with decorations and picks one up. Hikigaya stands up and grabs the box next to it. As the two of them exit the classroom, Yukinoshita and Yuigahama also get up to carry a box.

On their way over to the pile, Yui puts her hand on Yukino's shoulder.

"Are you feeling okay, you seem an-"

The brown-haired girls sentence is cut off when she feels her hand slapped away by Yukinoshita.

"I'm fine."

Yuigahama feels a sharp pain in the heart, as she gets disregarded by her friend.

* * *

 **1 Year Earlier**

Hikigaya holds his breath as he crawls past a guard lighting a cigarette. For the last ten minutes, he's been making his way through the factory, doing his best to leave little-to-no trace of his movements. This is the last man standing between him and his destination.

Currently the assassin is under a large machine. Next to the machine is a staircase leading to an office that overlooks the interior of the factory. The office is being used to interrogate the political prisoners being held here. Once the Russian agents finish their questioning, they'll grab a new person from one of the cages and take them to be interrogated. This room is where Hachiman's target is.

As the Russian agent finishes lighting his dart, he takes a puff then gets back to his patrols.

The second he turns around, Hikigaya makes a run for the staircase. He moves silently, and quickly climbs the stairs without getting noticed. Once at the top, he pulls the slightly open door towards him, and heads inside. The room has windows all around, so if someone from the ground floor of the factory were to look up to the office, they'd see him walking through.

The assassin stays crouched as he scans the area. The floor is covered with blood and bathtub has been crudely placed in the middle of the room, where a man can be seen hanging from the ceiling above the it. He is naked from the waste up and there is blood dripping from all of his limbs, and into the tub. Hikigaya moves behind him and stands up. The man's body does well to cover him from the windows, meaning he has a little space to move around.

Hachiman puts his two fingers below the man's chin and feels for a pulse.

'Nothing.'

Like he suspected the man is dead. Wasting no time, he quickly takes out his knife and jabs it into the back of the mans thigh. Hikigaya then pulls down the knife and makes an opening in the skin. He frowns as he reaches his fingers into the mans leg and begins feeling around. Eventually he finds what he's looking for and pulls out a USB stick wrapped a small plastic bag that's covered in blood.

After putting the device in his pocket, Hikigaya crouches back down and makes his way to the rear-exit of the office. This exit will take him to an outside area, that has a staircase leading to the parking lot. From there he can circle back around to Yuri.

Hachiman pulls on the handle and opens the door, only to find a man on the other side eating a burrito, whilst leaning against the railing. The man looks at him with a shocked expression, before throwing his meal to the side and reaching for his holstered firearm. The assassin kicks him in the stomach, before swiping his knife at the mans neck. Unfortunately he misses, and instead hits him in the shoulder.

"тревога! незваный гость!" The agent yells out, alerting the other guards.

Hachiman grabs the pistol in the mans holster and pulls it out. He then fires the gun right up into the agents head. Blood splatters everywhere, as the shot rings throughout the factory.

'Shit…'

* * *

 **Present Day - Yukinoshita's Apartment – 21:07 **

_"In this weeks new reports: Several men wounded at Hatake Bar in Chiba, hero firefighter rescues family from burning building and a hamster learns how to swear in sign language. Find out more after the break."_

 _ **BLINK**_

The large flat screen television screen goes black as Yukinoshita clicks a button on the remote to turn it off. She looks at her reflection in screen, and sighs.

Currently she is wearing a loose black skirt, along with short white socks and a red turtle neck. The coffee table in front of her has two cups sitting on a tray. Each of the cups have a tea bag inside and there is a freshly boiled kettle of water right next to them.

 _ **BUZZ**_

For what feels like the tenth time this hour, Yukino receives another notification on her phone. She picks it up and unlocks the screen before looking at the message. When she sees it's from Yuigahama she places the phone back down, ignoring her friend. This has happened several times tonight and Yui refuses to stop messaging.

'I can't think about her right now. I need to focus on me. This is important.'

She closes her eyes and leans back against the soft couch cushions. Yukinoshita feels her heart beating very fast, which only makes her more anxious.

'It's a been a week. I've tried, but it's impossible.'

Her thoughts run wild as her mind gets filled with worry.

'I can't take another day of this!'

The dark-haired girl quickly stands up off the couch and stomps over to her window. She grabs the handle and pushes it forward. A cold breeze enters the room, and she takes a deep breath. Yukino looks over at a briefcase sitting next to the coffee table and feels a drop of sweat drip down her face.

'If I go through with this… Everything changes… No! It goes back to the way it was.'

She puts her head in her hands and kneels down, as various thoughts continue to fill her mind. Suddenly there is a knock at the door. She looks up in surprise, before exhaling and standing up. Yukinoshita walks to the door and wipes her palms against her turtle neck, straightening out her clothes. She moves some hair from her face and puts on a fake smile before reaching out and opening the door.

In the hallway, a girl similar to Yukino's age stands there wearing jeans and a polo shirt, with a coat under her arm. This girl is none other than the world renowned assassin known as 'Black Tiger.'

"Hello, Yukino." The female assassin greets before bowing.

"Good evening, Tsugumi. Please come in."

She obliges and enters the apartment, before sitting down on the couch.

"Would you like tea?" Yukinoshita offers as she gets seated opposite Black Tiger.

"No, I'm fine thank you."

"How was the trip?"

"It was good actually. I enjoy train rides."

Yukino nods and there is a brief silence.

"Well, let's get straight to business."

She bends over and picks up the briefcase, then hands it to Tsugumi.

"Recently you made it known that you've retired from the business of contract killing and I respect that, however you have been a dear friend to the Yukinoshita family for a long time. We could always depend on you."

The short-haired girl raises an eyebrow as she opens the case.

"I've had a problem at school lately. The situation is complicated, so to keep it short: There is a boy who is causing me a lot of stress and I feel…" Yukino's heart begins to race. "I feel like it would be best to get rid of him permanently."

"You want me to assassinate one of your classmates?"

"He isn't just a classmate. The boy is an undercover assassin. Highly-trained and highly-dangerous. He bested me in a fight a little while ago."

"Oh." Black Tiger reacts, with wide-eyes.

There is another brief silence.

"That case has ten million yen in it. To be frank, I don't feel it's enough, but I'm hoping you'll make an exception for me."

She examines the money before speaking.

"What's the assassins name?"

"He calls himself Hachiman Hikigaya, but it's likely an alias."

Black Tiger nods.

"And what if I decline?"

Yukino sighs.

"I would understand, although it's unlikely I'd find another hitman of your level on such short notice."

"Short notice?"

"Yes. I want him k-killed… Tomorrow night."

She feels another drop of sweat drip from her forehead. In the past, the wealthy-girl has committed several crimes, but none involved orchestrating someone's murder. Over the past week she's been wrestling with the decision of whether or not to go through with it, and it appears she's found the answer.

"So, you want me to track down this Hachiman Hikigaya person and kill him for you?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure about this? We've known each other for many years and you've never asked for something like this before."

"I'm sure. I can't bare seeing him anymore."

Black Tiger frowns and puts the briefcase down by her feet.

"If this is so important to you. I want to know exactly why you want him dead."

Yukino takes a deep breath.

"Right. I'll start from the beginning..."

Over the next two hours the wealthy-girl explains what Hikigaya did to her uncle and his relation to Hiratsuka. The assassin listens carefully, knowing full well the person Yukinoshita is describing is her former partner. As their chat come to a close, Black Tiger finds herself picking between two choices: Take the money and do a favour for her old friend by killing Hachiman, or decline and leave Yukino to hire someone else.

* * *

 **Authors n' Notes:** Chapter 29 will be up next week! Anyway, happy new year guys. Match Point is coming up on its one year anniversary, so thank you to everyone who has been following it since chapter one and thank you to everyone who has jumped on a bit later!


	29. Christmas Festival - Part 2

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: 8man sneaks through the FSS blacksite, and finds his target strung up in an interrogation room. After cutting the deceased man's leg open and retrieving a USB hidden inside, he heads over to the back entrance. Unfortunately he is caught of guard by an agent having his lunch break. The agent alerts the other guards, and 8man finds himself in a real pickle.

In the present, Yukino reaches her breaking point and calls upon an old assassin friend of hers to deal with Hachiman. Little does she know that said assassin has actually worked with 8man before. What will happen next? Find out!

* * *

 **Friday – Christmas Festival - 17:04**

Hikigaya runs his fingers through his hair, before taking the last sip of his MAX Coffee and dropping the can into a large black bin. Some students holding candy apples jog past him, chatting amongst themselves. Right now he is at the long-awaited Christmas Festival, much to his chagrin.

Due to the low temperature, Hachiman has chosen to wear a black coat with a dark-blue turtle neck under it. Most of the other students and parents are dressed similarly, wearing warm and comfortable clothing.

The large school field is lit up by hundreds of paper lanterns that have been hung along the different stalls. Essentially, the festival has been divided up into two sections: One section is packed with stalls that are selling foods, trinkets and offering small games for people to play, while the other section houses several rides. From spinning teacups to a medium sized Ferris wheel, the school board most certainly did not cheap out on entertainment.

It may seem ridiculous at first, but in reality, it is a very smart investment. This is due to the fact that it's not only Sobu High School students who are in attendance, but rather people from all over Chiba. Young children will come to the festival with their parents, and then want to go to this school when they're older. Teachers from other schools will also show up and may decide to find a job here instead. In the long run the event pays for itself.

This happens to be one of the reasons why Hikigaya has been pretty against it from the start. To him, it's nothing more than a scam to trick people into applying, but his peers - who he helped set up a stall with - say that this isn't true, because in the end: The people attending get a good time and so do the people who organized the event. It's a win-win. Drawing from his life experience as an assassin, it's rare for him to see everyone get what they want, especially when the person getting what they want isn't him.

After a short walk down the field and through the different stalls, he sees Hiratsuka leaning against a fence with her arms crossed and a cigarette in her mouth. Next to her is a bench which Yuigahama and Yukinoshita are sitting on. He sighs as the language teacher notices him and waves him down. The two girls are both wearing brightly coloured yukatas. Yui's is red, with green flowers and a large white sash wrapped slightly above her waist. Yukino's is similar, albeit blue and with various patterns instead of flowers.

Once closer, he notices both girls have done up their hair and makeup. Hiratsuka however, is looking plain as usual and has opted for a black short sleeved t-shirt and jeans.

"Hi." He says, with his hands in his pockets.

Yuigahama is the first to greet him back, followed by Hiratsuka and then Yukinoshita. It's unusual for the wealthy-girl to be so cordial towards him, so Hikigaya begins to feel uneasy.

"Why so nice?" Hachiman asks bluntly, looking directly at Yukino.

"Maybe I'm in a good mood?" She retorts.

This is accurate. Throughout the whole school day she has been visibly happier, a stark contrast from her behaviour yesterday and during the week.

"A few hours ago Yukinon and I went to her place and did our makeup. She even gave me this yukata!" Yui says with a big smile, whilst holding onto her friend's arm.

"I see."

There is an awkward silence for a few seconds, before Hikigaya looks over at Hiratsuka, who seems annoyed.

"Is something wrong?" He asks nonchalantly.

"I forgot my jacket…" Shizuka responds with a defeated look on her face.

'What an idiot.'

The night has just begun and will only get colder.

"Well, whatever." She drops her cigarette and steps on it. "It's time for me to start making my rounds, let's go Hikigaya."

Hiratsuka walks up next him, before turning around and facing the girls.

"Yukino, Yuigahama: Have fun!"

"We will!" Yui yells out as she gives her teacher a thumbs up.

Moments later Shizuka and Hachiman begin their walk through the different stalls together.

* * *

 **1 Year Earlier**

As the factory of FSS agents get alerted to the assassin's presence, he begins to think quickly. Hikigaya grabs the shoulder of the man he just shot and pulls the body towards the office window, before throwing it out and shattering the glass. Right as it goes out the window, he jumps out as well, getting behind the body. The office is suspended about ten metres above the factory floor, and Hachiman needs to get down as quickly as possible. If he were to take the stairs, he'd quickly be overwhelmed by the agents, so the window is quickest route. Of course the fall would likely kill him, so he uses the man's body to absorb the impact and soften the blow.

Several guards raise their pistols as they see the assassin hit the floor and begin to stand up. They immediately start firing at him, but luckily Hikigaya reaches a pillar in time, and uses it for cover. Shots ring out through the factory, as the Russian agents yell commands at each other.

Hikigaya looks down at the gun he took off the agent.

'9mm SR1PM pistol. Thirteen rounds in the magazine, minus the one I fired off. Interesting.'

Dust explodes off of the concrete next to his feet as the agents fire at the floor near him, hoping that he'll try and change cover. Hachiman stands his ground, and peeks behind the pillar, before spotting about twenty agents moving towards him.

He looks up and notices a massive skylight over the roof of the factory. A small smile appears on his lips as he raises his gun and aims at the glass.

 ** _BANG_**

 ** _BANG_**

 ** _BANG_**

It takes three shots, but he gets the skylight to shatter. Massive shards of glass begin to fall down from the roof and onto the agents. It disorients them long enough for Hikigaya to move out of cover and take offensive measures.

 ** _BANG_**

'Eight.'

He mentally counts his bullets as he shoots at the agents.

 ** _BANG_**

'Seven.'

 ** _BANG BANG BANG_**

'Four.'

 ** _BANG BANG BANG_**

'Zero…'

Hachiman drops the gun, as several bodies hit the ground. He makes a run through the remaining men, not wasting even a second. Glass cracks under his feet as he sprints over the area the skylight shattered. After getting behind the agents, he kneels down by one of the men he shot and grabs a pistol from the man's holster. He then fires it into the remaining guards, before bolting towards the exit.

* * *

 **Present Day – Christmas Festival – 18:26**

Yuigahama excitedly runs towards one of the less busy stalls, having Yukinoshita jog behind her trying to keep up. A lot of the girls around them are dressed in yukatas, just like Yui, although some have opted for casual clothes. Due to the large number of similarly dressed and similarly aged girls, Yukino puts extra focus into not losing sight of her friend.

"How much?" Yui asks a student who's behind a stall counter.

In front of the stall is a large sign that says "Ring Toss" with an image of a horseshoe below it.

"It's 500-yen for five tosses or 900-yen for ten." The boy behind the counter responds with a smile.

Yuigahama frowns and makes two fists.

"Why so expensive?!"

Yukinoshita overhears the exchange, as she walks up behind the young girl, catching up to her.

"It's fine Yui. I'll pay for you."

"But you're always paying for things…" She responds pouting.

After handing the student 500-yen, the two of them are given five plastic rings.

The way the game works is simple: There is a large table full of figurines and novelty items. You pick the item you want, then throw the ring at it. The closer an item is, the easier it is to hit. Cheap items like toys and lollipops are up front where as more expensive items like t-shirts and movies are at the back.

Yuigahama gets a determined look on her face and carefully throws the ring towards a small _One Piece_ figurine of the main character Monkey. D Luffy. She completely misses, and the ring bounces off the table and onto the floor.

"Four more tries." The boy manning the stall says.

She groans in annoyance and throws again, this time more hastily. Like last time, the ring misses and falls to the floor.

"Three more tries."

Yui furrows her brow, doing her best to focus. This time her throw gets closer but still doesn't get right on the figure.

"Two more tr-"

"I know!" She yells out in frustration as her face goes red.

Both Yukinoshita and the student manning the stall chuckle at her cute reaction, before Yuigahama takes another throw. Unfortunately, the outcome is the same and she is left with just one more ring left.

"Can I have a try?" The dark-haired girl asks, tugging on her friend's sleeve.

Yui hands the ring to Yukino, and crosses her arms.

"The game is rigged! This guy's a lame scam artist."

"Hey, we're in the same class you know… No need to be mean." The student interjects.

She raises her hands apologetically.

"Oh no I was just joking! I didn't mean it I swear!"

Yukino ignores them and takes a deep breath, before throwing the ring at the Luffy toy. Incidentally, she gets it on her first attempt. The brown-haired girls mouth opens wide and she gives Yukinoshita a big hug.

"You're so good at everything! How'd you do it?!"

"Just lucky, I guess..."

As the hug ends, the boy behind the counter gifts them the figure in a small plastic bag.

With the prize in hand, they walk away to another stall chatting amongst themselves. This stall has foods, and Yukino and Yui buy some drinks. Instead of having her friend pay, Yuigahama buys a Sprite with her own money that her mother gave her to use for the night. The money is only enough for one or two games and some food, so the young girl has to use it sparingly.

For Yui the Sprite was too fizzy and it made her nose feel weird, which Yukino found rather funny.

After they were done drinking, the two girls found a stall that had people shoot guns at glasses to win points. The rifles were clearly fake, and you used cork bullets to hit the targets. Yukinoshita was immediately drawn to this game, as she has a history of advanced firearm training. To her surprise, the first shot she took completely missed. She looked down the sights again and determined that the gun had been tampered with so that people wouldn't hit the shots, probably to prolong the game's life and keep the prizes on the shelves.

Despite this, she simply adjusted the gun and mentally compensated for the misaligned sights. Her next few attempts were flawless, and she hit every glass off the stand. The student running the stall, then handed Yukino a massive teddy-bear as prize, while Yui watched in awe. Of course, they couldn't lug around a teddy bear all night so they let the student keep it.

The two of them walked around for a bit longer before heading over to an open part of the field where several students were sitting on blankets waiting for the fireworks display scheduled for 22:00. Yukinoshita took out the blanket she brought with her and laid it out on the ground. They then proceeded to sit down next to each other, which is where they are right now. The sky is dark, and has a clear view of the moon along with hundreds of twinkling stars.

Yuigahama looks over at her friend, whose hair is being lightly blown around by the wind. She feels her heart flutter as her eyes trail from Yukinoshita's hairline down to her chin. The makeup they're wearing brings out the wealthy-girl's features in the best possible way. Yui lets out a nervous breath then reaches into her pocket and pulls out a thin chain necklace with a dove shaped locket on the end.

"Yukinon…"

Hearing her name, Yukinoshita looks over at Yuigahama.

"What's wrong?"

She smiles and looks down to the ground nervously, as she runs her fingers over the soft blanket.

"Do you remember when you and I… Broke into the store to steal the P-Pan-san doll?"

Yukinoshita nods.

"Before we left… You told me to get something for myself. At the time I didn't tell you what I got because I wasn't sure about things like I am now…"

Feeling curious, Yukino tilts her head slightly.

"This is what I took from the store…"

The young girl extends her hands out and shows Yukinoshita the locket. She then takes it and opens up the front, revealing a picture of the two of them sitting together.

"That's the picture you took at McDonalds, after we got out of the rain." Yukino says, remembering how before they left, Yui insisted they take a photo together.

"I had the photo printed and put inside the locket… And I want you to have it."

Yuigahama feels butterflies in her stomach, as she takes Yukinoshita's hand and places the necklace in her palm. The dark-haired girl's skin is soft and warm.

"I don't want you to forget that day… I want to always be friends with you! No matter what!"

Yukinoshita smiles warmly and looks closer at the locket, before taking the thin chain and clipping it around her neck.

"Thank you…"

Suddenly, Yui jumps towards her friend, and wraps her arms around Yukinos's neck, hugging her tightly.

"The fireworks are staring!" One of the people sitting on the blankets around them yells out, pointing up.

The two of them separate and raise their heads.

 ** _CRACK_**

A rainbow of colours explodes into the dark night sky, as people cheer. The two girls lay down on the blanket and look directly up at the lights. The grass is soft, and made even softer by the material covering it. Their heads rest easy, while they lie happily on the ground.

 ** _CRACK_**

Yukinoshita feels inexplicably nervous, as their shoulders touch. The fireworks begin to get louder and more frequent and the students on the field quiet down to enjoy the show. The wealthy-girl notices Yuigahama's hand rub against her wrist, before feeling their fingers interlock. As they hold hands looking up at the sky, Yukino experiences a level a bliss she's never felt before, and her eyes begin to get glossy.

From the sensation of Yui's skin, to the gentle wind blowing around the area, she lays there loving every aspect of this moment, and wishing it could last forever.

"Yukinon, please promise me one thing." Yuigahama says, breaking the silence.

"W-What?" Yukinoshita asks, as she feels her voice crack.

"Please never do anything like what we did at that store ever again. It was fun and exhilarating but it was also dangerous and scary and… I never want you to be in a situation like that."

Yukino smiles and blinks away the water in her eyes. They lay in silence for a few more seconds before she sits up slightly and leans over to Yui. The brown-haired girl feels her friend's breath against the side of her head, which makes her tense up. Yukinoshita gets even closer, and her mouth almost touches Yuigahama's ear.

"Thank you… For everything." She whispers, as the biggest firework of the night goes off and all the students cheer loudly.

* * *

 **1 Year Earlier**

Yuri sits in the car, as he anxiously waits for Hikigaya's return. Right now he is parked to the side of the factory, across the street.

It's well into the night and there are few streetlights in this part of town. He looks to the side, and watches as the agents patrol the factory. There has been several moments throughout his time with Hikigaya where Yuri has considered fighting back, but the risk of his family being harmed is too great. Hachiman spoke about the different checkpoints, agents and encrypted phones. All this is knowledge that only an FSS operative could have, so Yuri has surmised that the assassin isn't working alone.

'Even if I gave him up to the other agents, it's possible his employer would come after Maria and the kids.'

The Russian puts his head in his hands, before resting his elbows on the steering wheel. A moment later, he raises an eyebrow.

'The checkpoints and encrypted phones are intel only an operative would have. If he knew about all that, then it's possible the person who hired him is working for the FSS.'

He leans back and runs his fingers through his short hair.

'When I showed the assassin the location of the second checkpoint, he questioned why it was written with Chinese characters. Why wouldn't his employer tell him about that as well? This information is given only to agents with a certain clearance, so if there is a mole in the agency he'd have to be a level below mine!'

Suddenly Yuri hears several gunshots coming from the factory, interrupting his thoughts. He looks out the window and sees the patrolling guards begin sprinting to the entrance. A few minutes later the gunfire begins to slow down, before Hikigaya runs out the back entrance of the factory, carrying a large bag on his back. Yuri continues to watch from the car as the younger of the two makes his way around the fence and towards the vehicle.

Upon reaching his destination, Hikigaya opens the side door and gently places the bag in the passenger seat, before climbing into the back.

"What happened?" Yuri asks, as he looks over at Hachiman.

"Had a few problems." The assassin responds panting. "I'd recommend you get moving. We're about to have a couple really angry agents coming after us."

He turns the keys in the ignition and begins reversing the car.

"How many is 'a couple'?"

In front of the factory eight black vans turn a corner and begin driving straight towards the them.

"Each of those vans is filled with four or five heavily armed men. This car won't take much damage, so I'll say it again: Drive!"

Yuri presses his foot against the pedal and begins speeding off down the road. In the backseat Hikigaya takes the large bag over to him and unzips it, as the vans drive after them.

* * *

 **Present Day – Christmas Festival – 20:28**

Hiratsuka and Hikigaya stand by one of the food stalls watching the people at the festival enjoying themselves. Two teenagers leaning on each other walk past them, as they speak about which one loves the other more.

"No, no, no! I love YOU more."

"Nah... I love you more than infinity!"

Both the teacher and the student scoff and roll their eyes at the overly-public display of affection.

"Chaperoning sucks." Shizuka says, as she feels the wind brush against skin.

"Yeah." Hachiman responds emotionlessly.

"I'm cold."

The assassin looks over at her and sees Hiratsuka holding onto her arms as she shivers slightly.

"You should have brought a jacket."

She shoots him a dirty look.

"That's not what you were supposed to say."

"And yet I said it anyway."

He smirks slightly, which annoys her even more.

"You were supposed to say: 'Oh Hiratsuka-sensei, I could never let my beloved teacher stand bare in these awful conditions! Please take my jacket to protect yourself from the harsh climate!' and then I would tell you how despite me needing the warmth, I am allowing you to have that jacket because it's my duty as a teacher to look after my students no matter what."

"You can't have my jacket, Hiratsuka-sensei."

She looks up at the sky and sighs.

"That's not very chivalrous of you. Women won't like that, you know?"

"I don't think that you're the touchstone for what women like."

Hiratsuka looks at him and raises an eyebrow.

"Why is that?"

They make eye-contact.

"Because you aren't like other women."

She smiles.

"Was that a compliment?"

He looks away from her, and at the lanterns hung above the stores.

"Not on any level."

They stand in silence for a bit longer before Shizuka groans and walks away from Hachiman.

"Where are you going?" He asks, as the distance between them becomes greater.

"This is too boring." She says, looking back at him. "I'm going to go have some fun!"

Not wanting to stand alone for the next few hours, Hikigaya quickly catches up to her and they walk through the stalls side-by-side.

"What do you mean by 'fun', Hiratsuka-sensei?"

"I'm going to go try out the rides. First the tea-cups, then the drop-tower and then the Ferris wheel!"

"Aren't you supposed to be watching this section of the festival in case anyone gets injured or in trouble?"

"I am, but I'm sure that the school board would understand that I was worried that the tea-cups, the drop tower and the Ferris wheel not being safe for students and I felt the need to test them out."

"Somehow I don't think they'd be that understanding."

"Well it's a good thing you won't tell them, right Hikigaya?"

She stops walking and grins evilly at him.

"Uh… Sure." He responds, not really caring whether she fulfils her duties or not.

They begin walking again and quickly head over to the first ride Hiratsuka has in my mind. The tea-cups are a staple of fairs and festivals due to their simplicity: People will get into a large tea-cup shaped seat which fits about four or five passengers, and then the cups will begin to spin and move around a large track.

After waiting in a short line, Hiratsuka and Hikigaya bought two tickets and got into one of the large cups. Four other students got in with them, but it wasn't cramped at all. A few moments later the man standing at the entrance pushed a big red button, turning the ride on.

The tea-cups span fast and didn't let up for even a second. By the end Shizuka felt sick to her stomach and almost threw up over everyone. Luckily, she was able to hold it in. For Hachiman, this wasn't really an issue as he's been in similar situations before and his body has acclimatised to years of being thrown around.

The next ride they visited was the drop tower, which is essentially a row of seats attached to a large pole. The row of seats gets pulled up lifting the riders high up into the air, then it free-falls back all the way to the ground below. Right before hitting the concrete the chairs slow down and then slowly descend to the floor before being flung up again and repeating.

Hikigaya actually found this one rather enjoyable, as the feeling of free-falling pumped a lot of adrenaline into his body. Dangerous situations from his past have left him apathetic towards most events, but coming face-to-face with death is something very few people get genuinely used to. Of course, the ride is designed in a way where you _won't_ die, but your body doesn't know that and reacts appropriately.

As soon as they're done with the drop tower they head to the Ferris wheel. This is arguably the main attraction of the night and the line reflects that. It takes Hiratsuka and Hikigaya about twenty minutes of waiting before they get to buy their ticket, however instead of killing the mood, it gets them both even more excited. The teacher has been waiting for a ride on the Ferris wheel for ages and can hardly contain her hype, while the assassin is hoping the view from the top will give him the same high that the drop tower did.

Their reasons are different, but it matters not because at this moment they are both equally excited.

"One ticket." They both say in unison, as they stand in front of the booth.

"Are you guys riding together?" The man working at the entrance to the ride asks.

"Yes." Hiratsuka answers, handing him the fee for her ticket.

Hikigaya pulls out his wallet as well, then extends his arm out to give the man his money.

"You're paying separately?"

"What's wrong with that?" Hachiman asks candidly.

"Uhh… Nothing I guess."

The man takes their money and opens the gate.

"Thanks, Aizawa." Shizuka says with a wink, recognizing him as one of the janitors.

The two of them walk past Aizawa, and climb up a few steps, before entering the medium sized Ferris wheel gondola. There are two benches inside, along with a large window which goes all the way around. The seats are about a metre and half apart and allows people inside to sit across from each other, with more than enough room for their feet.

Hikigaya and Hiratsuka do just that, opting to sit on opposite sides of the gondola.

There is another short wait as different people get into the other gondolas and the ride fills up. Soon the man flicks a switch and the wheel begins to turn, lifting up the gondolas and rotating them around, in the classic motion. As they ascend up into the sky, the teacher and student are met with a beautiful view of the whole festival. From the field of people waiting for fireworks to the different booths, rides and games. They can see it all.

"Amazing!" Shizuka says, pressing her face up against the glass, causing her nose to resemble that of a pig's snout.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Hachiman remarks, as he leans back in his seat.

"Why not?"

"You might fall through."

She smiles and backs away from the window.

"I'll die from the cold before the fall." She says, while crossing her arms to keep warm.

"If you're trying to make me feel guilty for wearing this warm jacket, it's still not working."

Hiratsuka looks at him and they make eye-contact.

"Like I said, even if you were to offer me the jacket: It's my responsibility as the adult to say no."

"Technically school is over right now, so you're free to act of your own accord."

"Me looking out for students _is_ me acting of my own accord."

"Well you seem to try and look out for me more than others."

She raises an eyebrow and tilts her head.

"How so?"

It was more of a sarcastic remark and the assassin didn't expect her to push the subject, but he decides to go along with it.

"Since the first day of the semester you've been on my back trying to push me in the direction you think is best."

"I would do that for any student."

He sighs.

"I suppose."

They sit in silence for a bit, before Hiratsuka speaks her mind.

"Honestly, if anyone here is looking out for the other it would be you looking after me."

Now he raises an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

She looks up, recalling events from the past few months.

"When those three boys from school were in my home, you stopped them."

"Anyone would've done that."

"Perhaps, but you also bandaged my hand and made food."

"That is also something anyone would've do-"

"No, it's not." The teacher states, interrupting him. "I've known a lot of people in my life and one thing they've all had in common is that the only time they go the extra mile is when they have something gain. When you helped me, there was no promise of an award. You did it because it was right."

He feels slightly guilty as he hears her last few sentences. Strictly speaking he did not save her out of the goodness of his heart. If she was killed or severely injured it's likely he wouldn't be able to complete his mission, though he doesn't mention this for obvious reasons.

"After that when I was worried about the police, you were the only person I could speak to. You were understanding, and we even went to the zoo. That meant more to me than you could ever know."

"You haven't brought up the police in a while."

"I got a call from the detective recently. He told me it's all been dropped, and I don't have to worry. I was going to tell you... I just didn't know how to bring it up."

She blushes slightly, feeling bad for only mentioning this now despite how he comforted her on the bench.

"It's nothing to worry about." Hikigaya says, as puts his hands in his pockets.

"It seems we've been looking out for each for a while now."

He stays silent and gazes out the window. Just then, a firework explodes into the sky. They get a clear view of it from the Ferris wheel, and Hiratsuka happily watches as the colours illuminate the area, before dropping down and fading away.

"I'm glad I met you, Hikigaya."

The assassin takes a deep breath and looks at her as she stares at the fireworks display. He feels cold and sad inside.

"I'm glad I met you too, Hiratsuka-sensei…"

As he looks at her, his mind begins to fill with all the different ways he could complete this mission. Black mail, torture, infiltration. He thinks about how he could kill her, how he could dispose of the body and how he could remove all traces of his existence in her life. Hikigaya closes his eyes and pushes all those thoughts to the back of his mind, making the decision to just enjoy this moment.

Doing this makes him feel calm and he sits silently, taking it all in.

"I don't think teacher-student is enough anymore." Hiratsuka says, while still watching the fireworks.

"W-What?" He responds, opening his eyes.

She blushes and looks at him.

"Let's be friends."

Her words are candid and straight to the point.

"Friends?"

"Yeah…"

The teacher finds herself with nothing more to say and simply looks at Hikigaya waiting for an answer.

"Uh… Sure."

His response elicits a giggle from her.

"That's just like you."

"What do you mean?"

"It's like nothing bothers you. It's all water off your back."

He takes a deep breath and looks down.

"I try not to think about the things that bother me."

She bites her bottom lip slightly.

"Like what?"

Several things run through his mind.

"I can't tell you." He answers softly.

Knowing that this kind of conversation is dangerous to his mission, and knowing that he can't remove himself from the Ferris wheel, he opts to get back on topic.

"You said you wanted to be friends?"

"Yes."

"In that case, we should drop honorifics, don't you think?"

The teacher nods leans back in her seat.

"You can call me Hiratsuka from now on and leave the 'sensei' part behind, just like Yukino does."

"Then you can call me Hachiman."

"Alright, Hachiman."

He feels a warm feeling around his shoulders as she says his real name, and not his "Hikigaya" alias. They sit quietly, sharing a comfortable silence for the next few minutes as the fireworks finish up.

"It's still pretty cold you know, and now that we're friends maybe I c-"

"You can't have my jacket, Hiratsuka."

She giggles slightly while he smirks at her.

* * *

 **Authors Notes:** Chapter 30 will be up next week! Also happy birthday to Ryouka Yuzuki aka the voice of Shizuka Hiratsuka.


	30. Christmas Festival - Part 3

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: 8man returns to Yuri, as they are pursued by several black vans, while in the present Shizuka and her students enjoy the Christmas Festival.

* * *

 **Friday Night - Hiratsuka's Car – 23:04**

As the first night of the festival came to an end, Hiratsuka and Hikigaya met up with Yukinoshita and Yuigahama by the entrance. The two girls were tired, and the teacher offered to give them a ride back to her place and told them they could stay the night since the four of them would be meeting up tomorrow anyway to set up their stall. Yui was perfectly fine with this idea but Yukino instantly rejected it. Despite her great mood, she wouldn't even consider spending the night in the same apartment as Hachiman.

It didn't take long for them to find a solution, as the assassin said he would prefer to sleep at his own place anyway and that Yukino and Yui could stay with Shizuka.

Now in the car, Hiratsuka and Hikigaya sit up front, with Yukinoshita and Yuigahama in the back. The festival has completely wrecked Yui and she is currently lying down on her friend's lap, taking a small nap as they drive.

From the backseat, Yukino stares at Hachiman. She doesn't have an angry expression, or even any expression at all. Her face is simply blank as she looks at the back of his head. Unlike her student, Shizuka has a lot of expression on her face. While her mouth presents subdued smile, her eyes are visibly blissful. For one reason or another, the festival has left her feeling more content than ever and she has no need to say anything. As a matter of fact, she hasn't spoken a word since they got in the car.

She's not the only one though, as all three of her students have chosen to stay silent as well. The entire drive has been smooth, setting a very calm atmosphere.

Hikigaya looks out the side window. He has his face rested against his left arm and is in deep thought. _What_ he is thinking about is quite the point of contention, as he's really thinking about _not_ thinking about it. For the most part he is a realist and doesn't lie to himself, but right now a question has arisen in his mind and it's a question he doesn't know the answer to.

This is not a question he has asked himself, but rather a question someone else asked him a while ago. He isn't entirely sure why he's remembered it again, but needless to say it's relentlessly bouncing around his head.

Hiratsuka pushes her foot against the breaks, as they arrive at her apartment. She turns the car into her assigned spot, then pulls keys out of the ignition. All three of her students feel the car stop. This takes Hikigaya out of his thoughts, wakes up Yuigahama and causes Yukinoshita to look away from the assassin. They all quickly get out and head into the building. After a short elevator ride and a brief walk down a hall, they find themselves in front of Hiratsuka's door.

The teacher unlocks it and walks into her apartment. She flicks a light switch, illuminating the living room. Yukino and Yui tiredly walk in and sit down next to each other on Shizuka's couch. It's clear Yuigahama is feeling drowsy and can barely keep awake at this point. Hikigaya stands at the doorway with his hands at his pockets. Hiratsuka turns to him and leans against the door-frame, smiling.

"You don't have to go home you know..."

He looks at her with a blank expression.

"Yukinoshita wouldn't stay here if I didn't."

She looks over at the dark-haired girl, then back at Hachiman and sighs.

"We'll be setting up our booth tomorrow. So, will you meet me at school at about seven AM?"

"Sure." He says with a nod.

They stand in the doorway for a few more seconds, before Hikigaya speaks again.

"Well, I'll be going now. Goodnight, Hiratsuka."

He turns around and begins walking down the hall.

"See you tomorrow, Hachiman."

Just like in the Ferris wheel, hearing her say his name makes him feel warm inside. As the assassin arrives at the elevator, he presses the button on the side and is soon out of the apartment building. He walks around Chiba for a while, letting the wind blow against his face and taking in the fresh air. Eventually, he comes across a large building and decides to climb up the fire escape and rest on the roof.

Hikigaya heads over to the building's ledge looks over it. The streets below are well lit by lamps and headlights from cars, though from so high-up it's hard to make out any details. After a minute or two, he opts to sit down and dangle his legs over the edge. Hachiman takes a deep breath as he listens to the sounds of the night and tries to clear his mind.

Suddenly, he hears some footsteps near his back. He places his hand in his pocket and cups a small knife, just in case.

"Hachiman Hikigaya?" The person behind him asks loudly.

Recognizing the voice, he turns around and looks at said person.

"Tsugumi."

Black Tiger smiles at him from rooftop door.

* * *

 **1 Year Earlier**

Hikigaya unzips the large black bag in front of him and quickly reaches inside. In the front seat of the car, Yuri has his foot pressed hard against the acceleration pedal. Behind them are several armoured vans, filled with very angry Russian agents. The vans are currently chasing the Prius down a long empty road on the outskirts of Moscow.

"We're not going to be able to escape them! This car won't go fast enough, but even if it could: There's nowhere to go!" Yuri says anxiously, as he looks at the men after them through the rear-view mirror.

"I've got a plan… Kind off."

"Kind of?! I thought you had this all mapped out!"

Hikigaya sighs and continues rummaging through the bag.

"I was caught off-guard inside the factory. This wasn't supposed to happen."

"So what do we do?"

"Just wait and see."

The Russian agent raises an eyebrow, as Hachiman turns around and kicks the back windshield of the car. A loud noise vibrates throughout the vehicle, but other than that nothing happens. He kicks it again and this time it cracks. After another kick, the glass shatters all over the backseat and Hikigaya leans out.

The wind blows hard against the back of his head, as he looks at the oncoming vans. Wasting no time, the assassin quickly reaches into the black bag and pulls out an RPG-7 AKA a rocket launcher.

The RPG is about a metre and a half in length, with two handles coming out of the black cylindrical body, one dark-red and the other a similar black colour. The launcher is heavy at about seven kilograms. Hikigaya takes the weapon and places the back-end over his right shoulder, while holding the front handle with his left hand. He then reaches into the bag and pulls out a long rocket. A moment later he slides it into the front of the RPG and locks it into to place.

Engines roar through the air, as the two vans up front notice the assassin leaning out the back, holding a rocket launcher. One of the men yells something in Russian causing the agent in the passenger seat to unlock his door and lean out as well. A man in the back of the van grabs an AK-47 off the floor of the vehicle and hands it to the man in the passenger seat.

After grabbing the gun, he begins firing at the Prius driving away from them. Hikigaya stands his ground as bullets ping off the rear end of his vehicle. Without hesitation he aims down the sites of the RPG, and pulls the trigger. The rocket instantaneously shoots out from the front, and travels at a high speed towards the oncoming van.

Hachiman feels himself knocked back slightly by the force of the shot but maintains his balance.

 _ **BOOM**_

As the rocket hits the vehicle, a large explosion erupts on the road, causing the van to flip over and hit the one next to it.

"Two down. Six to go." The assassin says nonchalantly, as he loads another rocket into the RPG.

Yuri looks in the rear-view mirror and watches the other vans drive around the fiery-mess on the road.

"How many rockets do you have?"

"Two more."

"You better be a good shot."

Hikigaya takes a deep breath, as he pulls the trigger and hits the next van. This time it spins and rolls on it's side, causing two of the other pursuers to collide with it.

"Three more vans to go. One rocket left…"

Hoping for the best, he loads the RPG for the final time, before firing off the last of his ammunition. Unfortunately, the van it hits gets knocked off the road, and the other two simply drive around it.

Just when Yuri and Hachiman think all hope is lost, the vans begin to slow down, before coming to a complete stop. The Russian agent sees this and gets a relieved look on his face.

"Guess they don't know we're out of rockets." He says with a chuckle.

Hikigaya pushes himself back into the car and places the RPG down, then climbs into the passenger seat.

"Looks like we're home free."

* * *

 **Present Day – Chiba Rooftops – 01:32**

"It's nice to know you remembered my name." Black Tiger says, as they look at the cars driving down the streets.

Currently the two of them are sitting on the ledge, letting their feet hang off the building. The wind is as cold as it's been all night, and gently blows their hair to the side.

"What are you doing here?" Hikigaya asks, getting straight to the point.

She sighs and looks up at the stars in the sky.

"On Thursday someone offered me ten million yen to kill you."

There is silence in the air for several seconds.

"That seems pretty low."

Black Tiger chuckles. Most people wouldn't worry about the price on their head, but rather that there is a price at all.

"Don't worry, I declined the job, but the person will probably still send someone in my place."

He looks at her.

"Why'd you decline?"

"It'd be stupid to kill someone who's life I've saved twice now. Plus, I'm retired."

Hachiman's eyes widen slightly, and he feels his heart beat a bit faster than usual.

"Retired… Why?"

"After Afghanistan, my handler took me back to Japan. The reasons are confidential but long story short I made some friends, retired, and even…" She takes a deep breath. "Fell in love."

"Wow."

"The person who tried to hire me is an old friend. In fact, we trained under the same master as children, though she isn't an assassin. She was doing it for self-defence."

Hikigaya sighs, with her mention of retirement still prominent in his mind.

"Who exactly tried to hire you."

"I won't say, but I'm sure you can figure it out. Is there anyone you can think of who might want you dead?"

He looks away from her and back at the cars.

"I can think of a few people, one being my current employer."

Tsugumi grins at him.

"Why?"

"It's kind of complicated, but I pretty much killed and severely wounded a bunch of his men last week. I'm not sure where we stand."

"You're working undercover right?"

Black Tiger deducts this from Yukinoshita's explanation of the events at school up until now.

"Yeah."

"And your targets a teacher?"

He exhales.

"Yeah…"

"You don't seem too happy about it."

Hachiman sways his legs from side-to-side.

"I've been thinking a lot about what you asked me when we worked together."

She continues to look at him.

"You asked why I do the things I do and I didn't have answer. I tried to get advice from my handler, but he didn't have much to say about the subject."

There is silence for a few seconds.

"Do you still not have an answer?"

He closes his eyes.

"No, I don't."

"Somethings on your mind." Black Tiger states candidly.

Hikigaya runs his fingers through his hair.

"Yeah."

"Tell me what it is."

He puts his elbows on his thighs and rests his chin on his hands.

"I think… I think I don't want to be an assassin anymore."

"Why not?"

"I'm sick of killing people."

"Is that the only reason?"

"Yes..."

She raises an eyebrow.

"Are you sure?"

"My employer kidnapped someone close to me for insurance. When I went to rescue them, I killed a bunch of his men. I told myself it was because I needed to send a message, but each and every time I took one of their lives, it felt even more pointless. By the end I could barely stomach another kill."

"When we went on a mission together, you didn't seem to care about killing."

"The Al-Qaeda terrorists would've killed us. It was survival, but the men working for my boss didn't deserve to die. I could've just wounded them."

"What about all your previous targets, did they deserve to die?"

He puts his head in his hands.

"I don't know… Some of them were crime-lords, gang members or high profile criminals, while others were just people."

"Does your current target deserve die?"

Hikigaya says nothing, and she frowns at him.

"Why don't you quit?"

"I can't."

"But why?"

"This is my life."

"What is?"

"Killing people."

"Do you feel bad about it?"

"No."

"And how does _that_ make you feel?"

He feels his teeth begin to chatter.

"I hate myself."

"Since when?"

"A few months ago."

"Does the teacher make you feel this way?"

"No."

"Then what makes you hate yourself?"

Hikigaya pushes back off the ledge and stands up, before walking across the roof and kneeling down in the middle. Black Tiger quickly jumps off as well and strolls up behind him.

"What makes you hate yourself?"

He stays quiet and stares at the floor.

"Answer the question, Hachiman."

There is silence for several seconds, before he speaks freely.

"I hate that I grew up on The Farm. I hate the fact that when I kill people I feel nothing. I hate that I've only ever cared about my sister and my handler. I hate that when I read books I can't relate to anyone. I hate that my target treats me the way she does, when she doesn't know who I am. "

"And who are you?"

"I'm a grim reaper. Death follows me everywhere."

"You're wrong."

He turns his head and looks at her. Hikigaya's entire face is blank, except for the hint of desperation in his eyes.

"Wrong?"

Black Tiger kneels down next to him.

"You're not a grim reaper and death doesn't follow you. I think that it's the other way around. I think you're the one who's following death."

He stays silent.

"We're both hitmen, but we're also very different. I made the choice to become an assassin and I also made the choice to retire. I've heard about The Farm before. Children are bred there, then vigorously trained to kill people. You never had a choice from the start, so now you feel you don't have a choice to leave."

She puts her hand on his shoulder.

"But you do have a choice. If you want to get away from death, you can."

Hikigaya chuckles.

"So, then what? I just leave the assassin business and go to school for the next few years and live some normal life?"

"That sounds good to me."

He chuckles and again and so does she. They both see how ridiculous the notion is, and it's hardly a legitimate suggestion.

"Is this your first time speaking about all this?"

"Yeah." He answers, as he stands up, putting his hands in his pockets.

"How long have you had these feelings bottled up?"

"A while"

They stand in silence for a bit, before Black Tiger's phone starts buzzing. She pulls it out of her pocket and checks her messages.

"It look's like I have to go."

Hachiman nods and takes a deep breath.

"Thank you."

"It's no problem."

He runs his fingers through his hair again.

"I think I know what to do."

"I'm glad."

Hikigaya begins to walk to the fire escape as he thinks about the future and what'll happen next. The female assassin watches as the distance between them grows.

'Good luck, Hachiman.'

* * *

 **1 Year Earlier**

After dealing with the vans who were chasing them, Hikigaya and Yuri continue driving for a few hours until they get back to a more populated area of Moscow. The Russian agent presses his foot on the breaks and stops the car on the side of the road. They are currently surrounded by large open fields, complimented by the rising sun.

"Why'd you stop?" Hachiman asks, as he looks over at Yuri.

"Is there anything else we need to do?"

The assassin shakes his head.

"Then maybe we should part ways here."

There us a brief silence, before Hikigaya places his hand on the passenger-side handle and opens the door.

"Sure."

He begins to climb out, before Yuri interrupts him.

"Wait."

"What?" Hachiman asks, as he turns back around.

"You had a lot of information about the FSS. That means there's a mole inside the agency. I'm still loyal to my country, and I can't let that slide. Would it be possible for you to tell me who hired you?"

"No. My employer gave all the information to my handler, who then passed it on to me. I never met the guy."

Yuri sighs, as he holds onto the steering wheel tightly.

"The agency will know I helped you."

Hikigaya thinks about for a moment, before getting out of the car and walking to the backseat. He opens the door, leans in and picks up a cell phone from the floor of the vehicle. After that he goes back to the passenger side and drops the phone on the Russian man's lap.

"What's this for?" He asks, raising an eyebrow.

"It's your encrypted phone. If you want, I can shoot you in the arm or leg, and make it look like you fought back. Then you can call for an agent to come pick you up and tell them I got away."

Yuri chuckles.

"You've already completed your mission. I'm surprised you don't just kill me."

The assassin looks out at the surrounding fields.

"You're not my target."

There is a moment of silence, before Yuri begins nodding.

"Okay, one shot to the shoulder. Then you get out of here and I'll call for a pickup."

Hikigaya backs up from the car and raises his handgun. He looks down the sights, before gently squeezing the trigger.

 _ **BANG**_

As the shot goes off, blood splatters all over the seat and dashboard. Yuri clutches his bleeding arm, trying his best not to yell out in pain. Wasting no time, Hachiman turns around and makes his way from the road onto the grass. He then begins his trek down the field.

After a long walk, he calls for his extraction, and marks another mission a success.

* * *

 **Present Day – Sobu Highschool Parking Lot – 07:05**

Hikigaya leans against a wall, as he looks at the empty parking lot. In his one hand he has a half-empty MAX Coffee, while his other hand is in his pants pocket. Currently he's wearing a white dress shirt and jeans. It's a bit warmer during the day, so he doesn't need to worry about having a jacket.

Opening up to his former partner has left him feeling things he's never felt before. Where he grew up, strong emotions are frowned are upon. Indifference was drilled into his head from a young age, which left him with a very uncaring outlook on life. Despite his upbringing, Hachiman actually has far more personality than some of the other children who come out of the program. Due to his innate skill at assassination, he became a professional hitman much sooner than a lot of his peers, who sometimes stay at The Farm well into their early-twenties.

Perhaps this was the reason he feels the way he does right now: Conflicted. Killing people has become gratuitous for him and Hikigaya wonders if he's been shooting people's legs and opting for a non-lethal approach subconsciously. He also wonders why after so many jobs it's his language teacher that's made him snap. When he thinks about her, he doesn't feel anything in particular. To him Hiratsuka is still just a person, but when he thinks about killing her Hikigaya finds the thoughts upsetting, if only slightly.

'Last night she asked me to be friends…'

The assassin looks up into the blue sky, as he smells the early morning dewy scent.

'Friends. That word means nothing to me.'

He continues to question the situation he's found himself in.

'Do I finish this mission and then quit? What will Ryuzaki say? Is quitting even allowed? Can I even finish this mission?'

Just then, he hears a car drive in through the gate. Hachiman looks to the side and sees his teacher driving to her usual spot.

'I can think about this later. Right now I should just… Prepare for the festival.'

As she parks the car, Hiratsuka gets out and quickly jogs over to her student. She's wearing her standard lab coat over a vest and tie.

"Morning!" She greets, waving at Hikigaya.

"Hi." He responds, as they begin walking side-by-side to the school building.

"Did you sleep well?"

"I didn't sleep at all."

She looks at him with a worried expression.

"Why not?"

"I've got a lot on my mind."

His answer is almost too honest, and he worries if it's safe to say such a thing.

"Well I'm sure you'll figure it out."

After a short trek through the parking lot, Hiratsuka takes out a set of keys and unlocks a back door into the school. The two of them then head to the cafeteria, where the boxes of food they bought for their booth is being kept. They grab a box each, then bring it to Shizuka's car. It takes about seven trips, and Hachiman stays quiet the whole time. The teacher notices this, and feels he's being even more distant than usual.

'I hope I didn't make him feel uncomfortable last night. Asking to be friends might've been weird for him.' She thinks to herself, as she pushes a box into the backseat of her car.

Soon the vehicle is filled with the different foods and drinks. The next step would be to drive the car onto the large field and unload the items inside of their booth, however Hiratsuka decides to wait a bit.

"Hey, Hachiman…" She says from the back of the car trying to get his attention.

He looks up from the side of the vehicle, where he was rearranging some items to fit better. The assassin doesn't say anything, he just raises an eyebrow at her as if to ask "What's the matter?"

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes." He answers bluntly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Hikigaya repeats his last answer, however she can't help but notice the frown that's locked on his face.

"If you're feeling weird about last night… I'm sorry if I maybe asked too much."

He thinks back to the Ferris wheel and the drive home, then to his conversation with Black Tiger.

"Really Hiratsuka, I'm fine."

She looks at him with a warm smile.

"Well, I want you to know that if there's anything going on: You can tell me."

Hikigaya feels the urge to unload his feelings the way he did earlier, but he keeps it in. He knows that there is a line he cannot cross, and that line is compromising his current mission.

'I'm feeling inexplicably emotional right now. I should just stay quie-'

"And don't think about it." Hiratsuka says abruptly. "I know more than anyone that when you think about things too much, more often than not you'll just make excuses in your head. So if you have something you want to tell me, then you should! Don't think about it."

"Don't think about…" He repeats under his breath, smiling at the concept.

The teacher walks around the car and up to him, then grabs his hand. She places it in hers and puts her other hand over his knuckles.

"You're not alone. I'm here for you, so is your Uncle Ryuzaki, and so is Yuigahama... Probably." She chuckles, then gets a serious look on her face. "We care about you Hachiman. You don't have to hold all your problems inside."

There is a few seconds of silence, before he speaks.

"Hiratsuka I…"

 _ **CLICK**_

He hears something. In his mind he instantly recognizes the noise as the sound of a gun's safety being turned off. Hikigaya turns his head to the right and sees a man standing about ten metres away, raising a pistol and wearing a fedora on his head, with a bandana covering his face. The man also has a black trench coat and boots, along with gang tattoos on his neck.

It feels like slow-motion, as the assassin plays several different possibilities out in his mind. None of them end in a satisfactory manner. Hiratsuka sees him turn his head and shifts her gaze over to where he's looking, before seeing the armed man and widening her eyes in shock. Her mind becomes too panicked to think as she feels every muscle in her body tense up.

Over by one of the school gates is Rorona, who's sitting cross-legged playing Tetris on his phone. He uses one hand to tap the screen while resting his chin on the other.

As usual he's tailing Shizuka Hiratsuka and keeping updates on her. The job is pretty boring, so he spends a lot of the time playing phone games. As his screen fills up with digital bricks, he checks his high score before lethargically looking up at the parking lot to see if Hikigaya and Hiratsuka have finished whatever they're doing.

In the corner of his eye, he sees a man holding a gun. It takes a second to register in Rorona's mind.

"Oh shit…" He says, as he looks at the armed man.

Rorona puts his phone in his pocket and begins sprinting across the parking lot towards them. At the moment Hiratsuka and Hikigaya are standing by the trunk of the teacher's car. The man is standing a few metres away from them with the gun raised. The school gate – where Rorona is coming from – is behind the man, so he doesn't see Rorona sprinting up behind him.

As he runs, he feels a sharp pain from the bullet that hit his side last week and he almost falls over, however Rorona pushes through and quickly closes the distance between him and the man. Not having enough time to think or form a plan he reaches both his hands over the man's shoulders and grabs his head from behind. The man feels this and accidentally fires off a shot, before tying to aim the gun to his back. Not wanting to take a bullet again, Rorona makes a snap decision and twists the man's head to the side, snapping his neck.

His body goes limp as he awkwardly curls over to the ground and drops the gun. A drop of sweat drips down Rorona's face as he pants slightly, looking at the man he just killed.

"Shit…"

Hiratsuka sees the entire thing and feels light-headed having no idea what to do. On instinct she looks at Hikigaya.

The assassin is standing dead still, staring at his stomach. She is still holding his hand and feels him squeeze her tightly. A moment later his white dress shirt begins to go red as blood gushes out of his torso. He feels exhausted like never before and the desire to sleep begins to take over. Hachiman closes his eyes for only second, before feeling something hard hit him in the back of the head.

Unknown to him, his body simply fell over and hit the concrete. Shizuka sees a pool of blood begin to form around him, coming straight from a bullet hole in his stomach. She screams loudly and drops to her knees. Rorona stares Hachiman, as he considers what to do.

* * *

 **Authors Notes:** There will be no new chapter next week as I am taking a short break. Weekly updates will return in two weeks!


	31. Truth - Part 1

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: After the Christmas Festival, 8man is left conflicted. As he questions what to do, Black Tiger returns and offers some guidance. During the next day, he and Shizuka are confronted by a man with a gun. Rorona quickly deals with said man, but a stray bullet hits 8man right in the stomach. What will happen next? Find out!

* * *

 **Saturday - Sobu High School Parking Lot - 07:41**

A tall man casually strolls through the school parking lot. He is wearing sunglasses and a charcoal black suit with a red ascot. The man has long bony fingers that are covered by a pair of white latex gloves. It takes him about a minute to walk from the gate to the middle of the lot, where he finds a pool of blood and a dead body. Oddly enough, the blood is about ten metres away from the corpse.

'Interesting…' He thinks to himself, as he kneels down by the body and examines it.

The corpse's head has been twisted abnormally far to the side, and there is a fedora and bandanna that have fallen off to the ground. The tall man reaches into his blazer, pulls an iPhone out of his inside pocket, then dials a number. It rings for a few moments, before someone answers.

 _"Is it done?"_

The person on the line speaks with a deep gravelly voice.

"Negative. The information was right. It seems the assassin was here earlier, but now there's just a pool of blood and a dead body." He responds, speaking with an Australian accent.

 _"Whose body is it?"_

"Judging by the outfit, I'd say probably some street thug hitman. Nothing professional."

 _"Hachiman Hikigaya attacked one of my compounds and killed several of my men. He needs to be dealt with immediately. I hired you to kill him, can you do it or not?"_

The man stands up, and looks at the pool of blood.

"Calm down Mr. Komanda. If I were to guess what happened here, then I'd say he's got more enemies than just you. Someone probably got some low rate hitman to kill the boy. Said hitman confronts him in the school parking lot and puts a bullet in him."

 _"So does that mean someone else killed the assassin?"_

He walks up to the blood, and looks at the area around it.

"I don't think so. Perhaps he wasn't alone. If the assassin was shot, this amount of blood-loss would put him well out of commission. Some of your surviving men said he works with a partner. Maybe the partner killed the hitman, then got him outta here."

 _"Where would he go?"_

"Good question. According to my brief, the teacher was supposed to be here too, so I'd imagine to keep things discreet, they'd head to her apartment."

Komanda sighs through the phone.

 _"The teacher and the assassin have caused far more trouble than they're worth. I'm sending the chain-users to Shizuka Hiratsuka's home to finish them off once and for all. You get rid of the body at the school and clean up the mess."_

"Understood sir."

The man ends the call and gets ready to follow his orders.

* * *

 **20 Minutes Earlier**

Hiratsuka screams as she looks at her student lying on the ground with blood gushing out of the hole in his stomach. Rorona runs up to the two of them, as she drops to her knees.

"Shizuka Hiratsuka you need to listen me to very carefully!" He says, crouching down next to her.

She looks over at him, while her eyes become wet with tears.

"W-Who are you?"

"I'm a friend of Hachiman's."

"F-Friend?" Hiratsuka repeats, looking at the assassin and then back at Rorona.

"I mean 'friend' is kind of a strong word. We're more like business partners. You know what, honestly he's more like my boss…"

Shizuka begins breathing fast, which snaps Rorona back into focus.

"Right. Right. Right. Right. Right… Listen: We need to help him right now! I've seen a lot of wounds like that during my time serving, and if we don't do something, he will bleed out and die. Do you understand?"

She nods, as her jaw trembles nervously.

"We should take him to the h-hospital."

Suddenly, her arm is grabbed by Hachiman. He squeezes tightly, before speaking.

"Please... No hospital..."

He struggles to get the words out, feeling blood entering his throat.

"What? Why?"

"Just trust him." Rorona advises, with a dead serious look on his face.

"Uh... Alright." She says, still panicked and scared.

"Help me get him into your car."

Rorona slides his arms under Hikigaya's back, then lifts him up. Hiratsuka stands up as well, and runs to the backseat of her car. She begins throwing out the food items to make space. The teacher's heart beats rapidly as she does this.

After the last box is removed, Rorona puts Hachiman's body into the back seat and climbs in next to him. He then takes both his hands and presses them against the bullet wound, trying to stop the blood. Hiratsuka runs to the front of the car and gets into the driver's seat, before quickly starting the engine.

"Do you have anywhere we can take him?" Rorona asks, as the backseat gets soaked with blood.

"M-My apartment!" Shizuka responds, putting her foot on the acceleration pedal.

The car begins moving, and she drives towards the gate, then out of the lot and into the street.

* * *

 **Touma's Apartment – 07:03**

 _ **BEEP**_

 _ **BEEP**_

The detective's eyes flutter open, as he hears his usual alarm go off. He quickly reaches over to his phone and swipes the screen, prompting the beeping sound to stop. His bed is medium sized, with a thin blanket covering him. Next to the bed is a small cabinet and a chair. The floor is tiled and the walls are concrete.

On the cabinet is a framed photo of two children. They're both on either side of Touma, smiling widely. He glances over at it for a moment, before pulling the blanket away and sitting up. After getting his bearings, the detective heads to the bathroom and takes a quick shower. He then puts on a dark-blue dress shirt and jeans.

Touma walks over to his small kitchen, and grabs a half-eaten pie out the fridge, then slots it into the microwave. He turns a small dial, and the machine makes a loud humming noise, as the food inside begins turning on the glass plate.

 _ **DING**_

A minute later the microwave makes a ding, indicating the food has been sufficiently heated. He wastes no time and quickly takes out the pie and eats it at his kitchen table. Not long after that, he heads back to the bathroom and begins brushing his teeth. Reo considers shaving as well, but decides it's not worth the effort. The detective exits out the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He grabs his trench coat off a chair and puts on.

This is his routine almost every day. Wake up, shower, get dressed, eat some left-overs, check his closet, and then go to work. The closet-checking step is less mundane than it sounds, and for Reo it is arguably one of the most important parts of his day, as it gives him more motivation and energy than any caffeine could.

Touma walks up to the closest and pulls out a small key. He slides it into the lock and gives it a turn. There is a clicking sound, and he promptly grabs onto the handle and pulls the closet door towards him. Instead of it being filled with clothing, the closet houses a white board, which has been nailed to the back. The board has several pictures on it. Some of the photos are of crime scenes, while others are of people.

A photo of Hatake Bar can be seen on one corner, with a photo of the warehouse Hikigaya met Rorona on another. Each photo is of a piece of evidence the assassin has left behind. Under the pictures is writing which is numbered to specific case files and documents Touma has. In the middle of the board, there is a photo of none other than Hiratsuka. The image is a portrait, which Touma found on the Sobu High School website. Below her photo is a picture of a question mark, which has the words "Assassin" written next to it.

'That woman threatened my family.'

He sighs, and looks sadly at the whiteboard, remembering his run-in with Haruno.

'But she said I can investigate the assassin so long as I leave Hiratsuka alone.'

Touma pushes the closet door forward and locks it.

'The teacher must be the key to finding the assassin, but I can't do anything about her right now. Not even the police captain can help me.'

After grabbing his car keys and wallet, he begins walking towards his apartment door.

'I don't have a choice. I have to do something, or this killer will stay on the loose.'

He unlocks his door, and begins heading downstairs towards his car. As he walks Touma feels determined to catch Hikigaya, as he wrestles with the idea of whether or not to pursue Hiratsuka. One day, he will decide.

* * *

 **Hiratsuka's Car – 07:29**

Hikigaya feels both hot and cold, as his eyes gaze at the material on the car roof. On top of that, he is unable to hear anything, and all sounds around him seem muted. He looks to the side, and sees Rorona kneeling on the car floor and putting pressure on his stomach. His focus shifts to his bullet wound, where he recalls the man in the fedora and bandanna. Hachiman feels something thick in his chest, before coughing up some blood. As it comes out of his mouth, the white noise in his ear fades and he hears the car's engine.

"Haha…" He giggles softly.

"Hell of a time to be laughing." Rorona says, with a concerned look on his face.

"W-Where's... Hiratsuka?"

"She's driving. Don't worry about that right now."

Hikigaya feels himself spacing out, as he looks back at the car roof. It's grey and appears as if there are patterns on it. His mind starts seeing shapes and images which causes him to laugh even more.

"Is he okay?" The teacher asks, frantically driving through early morning traffic.

"Uhh... He's reacting interestingly..."

A few minutes later, the car comes to an abrupt stop, as she parks the vehicle at the back of her apartment building. Hiratsuka opens up the driver's side door and runs to the backseat to help Rorona.

"Th-There's a staircase we can use to get him to my apartment. The cleaners haven't arrived yet, so the way should be clear."

Rorona nods and picks up the assassin. Upon entering the building, they begin making their way up the staircase. Hikigaya feels his body bounce up and down as Rorona sprints up the steps. The lights on the ceiling catch his attention, and he stares up at them. The lights are bright and hurts his eyes, but every time he passes one, he wants to look at the next.

About a minute later, the three of them arrive in Hiratsuka's apartment's hallway. They jog to her door, and she quickly scrambles to unlock it.

 _ **CLICK**_

The moment the key turns, she pushes open the door and runs in to her home, followed closely by Rorona. On the couch, Yukinoshita and Yuigahama are sitting down, dressed in casual clothes, watching television. They jump up when they see Hiratsuka and the strange man behind her carrying Hikigaya.

"Oh my god…" Yukino says, with wide eyes.

Yui is speechless, as she sees the blood covered Hachiman.

"Take him to my bedroom! It's over there!" Shizuka yells, pointing to the side.

Rorona nods and runs into the room, before placing Hikigaya down gently on the bed. Yukinoshita looks at him through the doorway, then at her teacher who is shutting the front door.

"What happened?"

"Someone shot Hachiman while we were pr-preparing for the festival."

Hiratsuka rubs her bloody hands through her hair, as she shivers nervously.

"What was he wearing?" The wealthy-girl asks, with a worried expression on her face.

"It all happened so fast… I think he had a hat and bandana or something."

Yukino closes her eyes, then puts her head in her hands.

'That idiot. I told him to take out the target when he was alone!'

"And then this guy came of nowhere. He said he's a friend of Hachiman's."

"A friend?"

"Well they're more like business partners. Actually, I think the guy works for him… Whatever that means."

"Hey, I need some help here!" Rorona yells from the bedroom.

Hiratsuka, Yuigahama and Yukinoshita run in, and see Hikigaya lying on the bed. His right hand is shaking and the grey blanket has become a light red colour.

"We're going to need to cauterize the wound."

"C-Cauterize..." Shizuka repeats, with a worried look on her face.

"Yeah…"

* * *

 **Touma's Car - 7:21**

Detective Touma drives down the road with his foot pressed gently against the acceleration pedal. Suddenly, the police radio to his left goes off, and the dispatcher on the other end begins speaking.

 _"All units in the area, we have a code 10-71. Single gunshot fired in or around Sobu High school. Any available officers, please respond. Over."_

The dispatcher's voice sounds robotic through the speakers and is accompanied by low-quality static.

Upon hearing the mention of Sobu High school, Reo raises an eyebrow, before quickly reaching out and pulling a small palm-sized microphone device off of a hook on the radio, and bringing it up to his face.

"This is Detective Touma, car A14, en route."

 _"Copy that. Enjoy yourself Touma."_ The dispatcher says casually.

Police procedure has become relatively lax lately, due to Japan's low crime rate.

He quickly returns the microphone to the radio, before making a sharp u-turn on the road and heading straight towards the school.

'Shot fired at Sobu High. Same school as Hiratsuka. Coincidence? What the hell else could it be?'

Blue and red lights begin flashing at the front and back of his car, along with the standard police siren blaring out. The detective has no plans to let any leads slip away.

Within minutes he arrives outside the school gates and quickly parks his vehicle next to the pavement. As Reo gets out, he begins jogging through the parking lot with one hand on his holstered firearm. It doesn't take long for him to come across the pool of blood left behind by Hikigaya. The pool of blood however is all there is, and the other man's body is nowhere to be seen. The different food items that were being packed into Hiratsuka's car are similarly missing.

Touma pulls out his phone and dials a number. It rings for a few seconds before someone answers.

"I'm at Sobu High School investigating a possible shooting." He says, as he looks at the blood. "I'm gonna need a forensics team down here now."

* * *

 **Hiratsuka's Apartment – 07:35**

"The bullet's still inside of him. I'm going to need to pull it out, and when I do we'll cauterize the wound."

"How do we do that?" Hiratsuka asks, standing in the doorway.

"We'll need something hot to melt the skin around the hole into itself."

"Melt the skin…"

"Do you have an iron or something? We'll also need some alcohol."

The teacher nods and runs over to the kitchen. The two girls stand in the bedroom, watching as Hiratsuka and Rorona frantically try and save Hikigaya. Yukinoshita clenches her fist at the incompetence of the hitman she hired.

'He wasn't supposed to be with Hiratsuka when he got shot. For ten million yen you'd think he'd offer a better service.'

Her gaze shifts over to all the blood. It makes her feel sick and scared. There's a reason she tried to have someone else do the job.

"The man who did this, where is he?" Yukino asks, as she leans against the wall with an annoyed expression on her face.

"He's dead." Rorona responds emotionlessly.

Throughout this exchange, Yui stays quite and watches as everything plays out in front of her, feeling helpless.

"Why didn't you call an ambulance?"

"Can we just focus on saving Hachiman's life right now?"

Just then Shizuka runs in holding a half-full bottle of vodka and a hair-straightener. She quickly plugs the device into the wall and turns it on, letting it heat up.

"Do you have tweezers?"

"Yeah…"

Hiratsuka opens one of her drawers and pulls out the desired item. She then hands it to Rorona, who proceeds to close his eyes, and mentally prepare for the next step.

"Get a towel and put it in his mouth."

"Why?"

"He'll need something to bite on."

Hiratsuka follows his orders and grabs a pink towel from the bathroom, folds it, and then awkwardly tries to put it into Hikigaya's mouth. The assassin feels the material rub against his face and opens his eyes. He sees what she's trying to do and raises his right arm, then grabs the towel out of her hand.

"I know the drill. Get it done." He says, looking over at Rorona.

The older man nods and rips open Hachiman's shirt, revealing his chest and stomach. There are several scars, cuts and bruises all over. A concerned look clouds Shizuka's face as her eyes study every wound. Yukinoshita looks at her teacher's expression, and feels a pit in her stomach.

Rorona uses his left hand to pick up the alcohol and pour it over the bullet hole. He then uses his right hand to press the tweezers into the wound. Hikigaya takes the towel and stuffs it into his mouth, as he groans loudly from the pain. It a takes a minute, but the bullet is eventually found and pulled out. Rorona drops it on the floor, then stands up and grabs the iron.

The blood has now begun gushing out the wound faster than before, and the assassin feels himself getting weaker and weaker. Rorona takes the tip of the red hot hair-straighter and gently presses it against the bullet hole. Hikigaya clenches his fist and bites hard into the towel, as he feels an agony he has never even imagined. The skin on his stomach begins to melt, then coagulate. Yuigahama cringes, and buries her head in her friend's shoulder, before beginning to cry.

Despite seeing Hikigaya in so much pain, Yukinoshita doesn't feel the happiness she imagined she would.

'This person killed my Uncle. Taunted me in class. He… He stole Hiratsuka away from me!'

She looks intensely at him, as his body convulses.

'So… Why do I want his pain to end? Why can't I enjoy this?'

To her left she hears quiet sobbing. Yukino turns her head, and sees her teacher standing there with tears streaming down her face.

'What have I done?'

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Chapter 32 will be up next week!


	32. Truth - Part 2

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: 8man gets his bullet wound closed, and Yukino begins to question her decision to have him killed. At Sobu High School, Touma finds a mysterious pool of blood, and promptly calls it in.

* * *

 **Saturday – Hiratsuka's Apartment – 07:48**

Hiratsuka walks out the bedroom and goes to sit down on her couch, as she processes what's happening. Yuigahama follows her out and sits down silently next to her teacher.

Back in the room, Rorona takes Hikigaya's shirt and wraps it around the now closed wound. The assassin's face is red, and he is sweating while fighting to stay awake. Suddenly, he grabs Rorona's arm and pulls him closer.

"If Komanda s-sent the assassin… That means he could be coming after Hiratsuka as well. It's not safe here."

Yukinoshita looks at him.

'Komanda? Is someone else after Hikigaya?'

Rorona stands up from the bed and heads over to the window. He opens it and peers down to the street. A few moments later a van pulls up, and five suited men get out of the vehicle and head to the back of the apartment building.

"Shit, looks like you're right. A bunch mean looking dudes just arrived." Rorona says anxiously.

"They're here for Hiratsuka and I…"

The wealthy-girl gets a confused look on her face.

"What do you mean they're here for Hiratsuka?! Who is?"

Rorona and Hachiman look at her, before looking at each other.

"We need to get to a safer place… Somewhere else."

The assassin struggles to speak, as he moves off the bed and attempts to stand up.

"Hey stop! You can't move right now."

"The men will be coming from the back, and we won't be able to leave through the front, too many people will see us."

"Then we'll have to fight through them..."

Rorona quickly runs over to Hikigaya and picks him up. After that he carries him into the living room, followed by Yukinoshita.

"We have to go."

Hiratsuka stands up from the couch and turns around.

"Why?"

"It's not safe here."

"B-But…"

"Trust him." Hikigaya says sternly, as he is held by the older man.

She looks at the assassin and nods.

"I'm going to need you to carry him back to your car. There are a bunch of dangerous men who are about to come to this apartment. Everyone just stay behind me, and I'll do my best to fight them off."

"I'll help carry him." Yuigahama says with determination, knowing this is a way she can help.

"Are you sure?" Hiratsuka asks, looking over at the young girl.

"Yes."

Rorona walks up to the woman and hands Hachiman to her. He then walks over to the apartment door and takes a deep breath.

"If I get overpowered, then run in the opposite direction. Understand?"

Yuigahama and Hiratsuka nod, as they suspend Hikigaya off the ground. Yukinoshita clenches her fists, and walks up to Rorona.

"I'll help you fight the men off."

"What?" He responds, giving her a confused look.

"You'll want the extra help."

Before anyone can say anything, Yukino opens the door and heads down the hallway. Rorona walks after her, with Shizuka and Yui following behind.

"Listen little girl, I don't know if you understand what's going on here but-"

Just then, one of Komanda's men turns the corner from the intersecting hallway. He is wearing a suit, and has chains wrapped around his forearms. Yukinoshita immediately kicks him in the stomach, before roundhouse kicking him in the head, knocking him unconscious. His body hits the floor hard, and she nonchalantly steps over him and walks in front of the other hallway. At the end of the hall are four men, all dressed with the same suit and chain combination.

They all are all standing next to each other, with their hands at their sides. Yukino looks at them and takes a deep breath, as she prepares for a fight.

* * *

 **Sobu High School Parking Lot – 07:39**

Touma stands patiently, as uniformed officers walk past him. The previously empty parking lot is now housing several police cruisers, an ambulance, and a team of forensics investigators.

"I want that blood sent down to the lab as soon as possible. I have reason to believe it's connected to an important case I'm working." The detective says, folding his arms.

One of the forensics investigators nods at him, and pulls out their phone, while another kneels down by the blood and begins sampling it.

"You police start canvasing the area. A gun was fired off here in broad daylight. A passerbyer might have seen something. Also try and find some CCTV cameras. Any lead is important right now."

Four uniformed officers standing in front of Touma bow respectfully, before spreading out and going to do what he says. In his precinct, Reo is greatly respected by his peers, and most officers are more than happy to carry out his orders, as they've seen him get results in the past.

While they work, the detective looks around. His gaze shifts over to the school building, and he sees someone peeking behind the wall. The building is quite far from the crime scene in the parking lot, so he just barely makes out the figure.

Without hesitation, Touma pulls his pistol out of the holster on his waist, and begins sprinting down the parking lot towards the building. Despite being fit, Reo is pretty old, and he can only run so fast without getting out of breath. As he gets closer to the building, the figure watching the police pulls away out of his view.

'Dammit!'

After about a minute of sprinting, he arrives at his destination. The parking lot is on the right side of the school. The figure watching him was peeking from behind the back of the building. He looks around but doesn't find anyone, rather just a couple garbage bins with some litter on the ground.

"Japanese Police! Come out immediately!" Touma yells out trying to get the figure's attention.

Just then, a tall thin man wearing a charcoal black suit with a red ascot walks out from behind one of the large garbage bins.

"Hello, Detective Touma." He greets with an Australian accent and a smile.

* * *

 **Hiratsuka's Apartment Building – 08:01**

Yukinoshita stands her ground, as the men stare at her from about ten metres away. The hallway is narrow, with just enough space for four people to stand side-by-side.

At the moment she is standing in the hallway intersection. To her right, is the path to her teacher's apartment, and to her left is the path to the back stairway. In front of Yukino are Komanda's men.

Hiratsuka and Yuigahama walk past her while carrying Hikigaya, and continue down the hallway to the stairs. The moment the teacher and the wounded assassin move into their line of sight, one of the men steps forward and flings his arm in front of him. The chain wrapped around his forearm begins propelling through the air, heading straight down the hall.

A moment before it hits Shizuka, the chain stops. Rorona walks up next to the dark-haired girl, and sees her left arm extended out, with her hand holding onto the chain. Yukino gives the man who stepped forward a death stare, before slowly shaking her head from left-to-right. Rorona looks at her, then at the unconscious man by her feet.

'Is every kid I meet going to be a damn ninja...'

"Get Hiratsuka, Hikigaya and Yui out of the building. I'll make sure none of them come after you."

Rorona considers the situation, before nodding and heading down the hall with the other three. As he leaves, the man who threw the chain pulls it back. Yukinoshita let's go, and watches the weapon returns to his forearm. She then roles up her sleeve slightly, revealingly a watch on her right arm. Around the circular face of the watch is dial, which she uses her left hand to turn. It makes a clicking sound, before the face extends forward, and compressed air begins coming out the sides.

Suddenly, a grey material from the inside of the device shoots out, and wraps itself around her hand and wrist. The material effortlessly climbs it's way over her palm, knuckles, and fingers, wrapping tightly around them to form a glove. After that, a thin metal wire shoots out, and wraps itself around her fingers and palm in a similar fashion to the material.

One of the men raises his eyebrow, as Yukino uses her left hand to reach into her pocket and pull out a small rod. Moments later, a thirty centimetre blade extends out. While she does this, the face of the watch begins spinning. It starts off slow, before speeding up. As it picks up speed, there is small electrical discharge. It doesn't take long for the charge to begin spreading through the metal wire. The material over her skin insulates her hand from the electricity, allowing Yukinoshita to wield the charge without harming herself.

'I assumed when I used this, it'd be a fight with Hikigaya. Good thing I came prepared...'

With the knife in one hand and an electrical current in the other, she sprints down the hall towards the men. They see this, and begin sprinting towards her as well. One of the men propels his chain towards her, but Yukinoshita dodges it and continues running. As the distance between them closes, she uses her right hand to reach out and grab the closest man by the face.

The moment her hand connects with his skin, there is a loud scream. The electricity from the wires shocks him, and his body convulses from pain. Yukino holds on tightly, before seeing one of the other the men in the corner of her eye. The man's fist is heading straight for her. She lets go, and blocks the punch. Without hesitating, the wealthy-girl tries to stab him with her knife, but he catches the attack by putting his forearms out in front of him. The chains are solid, and the knife doesn't even scratch them.

 _ **CHING**_

Suddenly, the blade snaps in half, as the chain-user crosses his forearms around the weapon. From behind her, a chain wraps around Yukinoshita's neck. She widens her eyes, before trying to struggle out of the choke.

On the other end of the hallway, Rorona returns. He sprints towards the operative holding Yukino, and tackles him to the ground. The chain loosens, and she is free once again.

"What are you doing here?!" Yukinoshita asks angrily, dodging hit from one of the men.

"Stairway is clear. We're waiting on you."

"I told you to go!"

"Hiratsuka says she won't leave without you."

Yukino angrily grabs her new opponent by the face, electrocuting him with the glove. She then turns to the next man, but before she can touch him, his chains wrap around her arms. They begin to grapple, and the man headbutts her hard. The dark-haired girl's nose bleeds slightly, as she gets her bearings. A moment later, she headbutts him back, knocking him out. Throughout this, Rorona continues to roll around on the ground with the man he tackled.

"Hey where'd you get that shock thing?" He asks, as he pins down the chain-user.

"I built it..."

"Really?"

She ignores the follow up question, as the glove begins to overheat and a flame appears on one end. Yukinoshita rips it off, along with the watch, and drops the device on the floor.

"Let's go."

Rorona hits his opponent hard, finally knocking them out. He then stands up and steps over the rest of the unconscious men. The two of them fast-walk side-by-side down the hall to the back staircase. Upon reaching it, they find Yuigahama and Hiratsuka waiting nervously. They all head down the spiral stairs together, until they get to the ground floor and out of the building.

As they walk across the street, they see the van the men came in, parked next to the pavement. The windows are tinted, and it's clear that the vehicle had been retrofitted for gunfights.

The four of them quickly load Hikigaya back into Hiratsuka's car, then all climb in themselves. Rorona gets into the driver's side, with Shizuka in the passenger seat. Yui and Yukino sit at the back with Hachiman laying on their laps. Yukino isn't exactly happy with this arrangement, but she ignores her disdain for the assassin, knowing that her teacher is in grave danger right now.

Rorona quickly gets the engine running, and they set off down the road. Several police cars with blaring sirens pass them, as the first responders make their way to the apartment building.

"Someone must've heard the fight and called the police." Rorona says, turning the steering wheel.

No one says anything, and there is an awkward silence.

"I guess this must be pretty weird for all of you."

Once again, there is no response.

"There's a safe place we can go and wait for all this to blow over. When we get there, I'll explain everything that I can."

Yuigahama looks down at Hikigaya, whose head is rested on her lap. She feels scared, in the same way she did when her and Yukinoshita broke into that store, except this kind of fear is far more intense.

Her gaze shifts to her teacher. She can't see her face too well, but it's clear Hiratsuka's expression is less than positive. Yukinoshita's expression is the same as Rorona's: Indifferent. The two of them seem to be unfazed by their lives being threatened.

* * *

 **Sobu Highschool Back Area – 07:45**

"Get down on your knees!" The detective yells out authoritatively at the man, as he raises his gun and stares down the sights.

"Calm down, mate. I'm not the assassin your looking for."

"Get on your knees or I will use lethal force!"

The man chuckles.

"We both know that's not true. In your entire time in the police you've only ever used lethal force once, and that was a long time ago."

Touma looks angrily at him.

"Who are you?"

"Me? Oh I'm just a civilian. Like I said: Not the assassin you're looking for."

"How do you know who I'm looking for?"

The man chuckles again.

"It's my job to know everything that goes on in Japan. I'm a fixer, I make problems go away. Don't worry though, I don't do anything illegal. At least nothing you can prove."

The area they are standing in has a fence to the right of Touma, with a bricked floor. The garbage cans offer a less than pleasant smell.

"What are you doing here?"

"Let's just say you're not the only one who wants to find this assassin."

"What do you know about him?"

"I already told you: I know everything."

Their eye contact is intense and unbroken.

"How about we make a deal, Detective?"

Touma says nothing, and continues staring down the sights of his gun.

"If you let me go, then I'll give you something no one else can."

There is a brief silence.

"And what's that?" The detective responds, now having his interest peaked.

"The name of the assassin."

His eyes widen for a moment, before going back to normal.

"Alright, you have a deal…"

Touma turns the safety of his gun back on, then returns the firearm to his holster. Right now, this is the best he's going to get. If he was to arrest this man, it'd have to be for trespassing on private property. Fixers have a long history with gangs and Japanese police. They sort out problems, make evidence go away, threaten witnesses, etc. These kind of people are hired by powerful individuals. Trespassing charges simply won't stick. He's seen it in the past.

"The person you're looking for is going by the name Hachiman Hikigaya."

"Hachiman Hikigaya? What am I supposed to do with this information?"

"I don't know, mate. Maybe check with Shizuka Hiratsuka."

He widens his eyes again, getting even more confirmation about her connection to the assassin.

The fixer grins and turns around, before beginning to walk away.

"Wait!" Touma tells out. "What's your name?"

He stops walking, and looks over his shoulder.

"My friends call me Mason. We'll be in touch, Detective."

* * *

 **Chiba Streets – 08:32**

Rorona hits the brakes, and the vehicle stops outside an abandoned building. This is the same building housing an old mall basement where the guns he and Hachiman used to rescue Komachi were stored.

The four of them quickly exit the car, with Hiratsuka and Yuigahama carrying the wounded assassin. Throughout the drive Hikigaya has been drifting in and out of consciousness, and at this point he can barely discern if he's dreaming or not.

After unlocking the padlock on the metal door, Rorona leads them down the stairs, and into the basement. It looks a little different then last time. The boxes and crates have now been packed neatly against the walls and there are several lamps placed about, illuminating the area.

The bed is still there, though now it has a nice cover and a table next to it. It appears Rorona used the money Hachiman payed him to make this place more liveable.

"Put him over there." The older man says, as he points to the bed.

Yui and Shizuka do so, and the assassin is soon once again laying down on a soft mattress.

"Is this a… Basement?" The teacher asks, looking around.

"Yeah." Rorona responds, not wanting to give away any more information than necessary.

Yukino begins checking behind the tables and under the boxes, making sure the area is safe. To her Rorona is just as much of a threat as the men from earlier. She watches as he walks over to the bed and kneels down by Hachiman. The older man looks closely at the unconscious boy's face, before standing up and making an announcement.

"Uhh… Everyone."

Hiratsuka, Yuigahama and Yukinoshita all look at him.

"We have a problem. The wound is closed but I think he's lost too much blood. His skin is pale and he doesn't seem to be conscious."

"What do we do?!" Yui asks with a worried expression, as she walks up to the bed.

"We'll have to do a blood transfusion. Does anyone know Hachiman's type?"

"He's A-Positive." Shizuka says, while crossing her arms.

"Does anyone here have the same blood type?"

Yukinoshita shakes her head, while Hiratsuka raises her shoulders, as if to indicate she doesn't know.

"I do! Kind off…" Yuigahama says loudly.

Everyone looks at her.

"What do you mean?" Rorona asks, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm blood type O, universal donor."

"Okay, wait here."

He quickly runs off to one of the crates, and pulls of the lid. Inside, he takes out a first aid kit, along with an IV line. Rorona then runs back over to the bed and kneels down by Hikigaya's unconscious body.

"Grab a chair, and take a seat." He says, as he gently grabs the assassin's arm and begins wiping it down with a wet cloth from the medical kit.

Yuigahama finds a swivel chair in the corner of the room. She rolls the chair up to Rorona, and sits down on it beside him. A moment later, he injects a needle into Hachiman's forearm, connecting the limb to an IV. He then does the same to Yui.

It takes a minute, but eventually blood from her veins begins flowing through the tube and into the assassin's arm.

"Wow…" She says, as she clenches her fist, not liking the sensation.

Rorona chuckles at her reaction and stands up. At this point Yukino and Shizuka have also found chairs. The teacher carried her stool over to the bed and placed it on the other side, where as Yukinoshita decided to sit down far away from the others.

"Will he be alright?" Hiratsuka asks, placing her palm over Hikigaya's right hand.

"Heh, as if a single bullet could stop this kid."

"He'll be fine." Yuigahama says with a smile.

The older woman looks at her, then back at her student. She feels her heart beat fast, as her eyes once again travel down his body. The bullet wound has been covered by a horrendous looking burn mark, which she can't help but frown at.

"Now that things have calmed down, please tell me what's going on."

Rorona stares at her, and sighs.

"Honestly, I think it'd be better to ask him."

Despite being unhappy with his response, she nods and drops the subject. Right now, the five of them are safe, and Hikigaya is alive. That's all that matters to Hiratsuka.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Looks like 8man will live to see the next chapter, but what will he do about Shizuka? Also, who is this mysterious "Fixer" that Touma just met? Will these questions be answered in chapter 33 next week? You'll just have to wait and see!


	33. Truth - Part 3

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: Detective Touma comes in contact with a mysterious fixer hired by Komanda.

* * *

 **Tuesday - Abandoned Basement – 15:03**

Hikigaya slowly opens his eyes, as he feels himself regain consciousness. He attempts to move, but stops when he notices a blanket covering his body.

'I'm in a bed.'

The soft mattress below him sinks slightly, as he sits up.

'The basement…'

He looks around, and notices all the changes from the last time he was here. Next to the bed is a small table with a plate of food on top. The food appears to be a half-eaten sandwich and baked beans.

Suddenly, Hachiman feels a pain near his abdomen. It's concentrated to one specific area, though it still affects his whole torso. He pulls the blanket off of him, and looks down at his waist.

Currently, he is shirtless and wearing the same pants as when he was shot. His shoes have been removed, leaving him with just socks on his feet. There is a bandage wrapped around his stomach, being held up by another bandage tied over his shoulder.

He promptly stands up off the bed, before stumbling down to his knees.

'My legs must be dead…'

A moment later, Hikigaya pulls himself back up, and sits down on the mattress with his legs hanging over the edge. He begins to sway them back and forth, attempting to get the blood flowing properly.

 _ **CLINK**_

The sound of a door being unlocked and opened echoes throughout the basement, and he turns his head towards its origin.

"I see you're awake." Yukinoshita says, as she enters from the steps and walks into the large room.

Despite it being his classmate, the assassin is anything but relaxed, given what Black Tiger told him.

"Hi…"

His response is emotionless.

"You've been asleep for a two days, in case you were wondering."

This time he doesn't respond at all, and they stare at each other awkwardly. Yukino is wearing a loose black skirt with zebra stripe leggings and beanie on her head. She also has a dark purple coat and grey V-neck shirt on.

"I suppose you want to be filled in on what's happened?"

He nods, which prompts her to walk over to the swivel chair and roll it to the foot of his bed. She sits down and crosses her legs, then looks intensely into his eyes. Hikigaya has yet to move from his position.

"After you were shot, you were taken to Hiratsuka's apartment, where Yui and I were. Some men arrived in a black van and forced their way into the building. Judging from the weapons they used, they were sent to dispose of us quietly. I helped that Rorona person get you back to Hiratsuka's car. He drove us here, where Yui gave you some blood."

With the exception of the blood transfusion, Hikigaya recalls all of this.

"After that, we had a discussion about what to do. I told Hiratsuka to turn you over to the police or a hospital, but she refused. Yui and Rorona agreed with her, and I was hopelessly outvoted."

They continue staring at each other.

"It was too dangerous to take Hiratsuka back home, so she's been staying at my apartment. On Saturday, her, Yui, and I went to the festival and sold drinks like nothing had happened."

"Great."

There is a brief silence, before Yukino sighs and clenches her fist.

"I hired the man who shot you."

He raises an eyebrow.

"I see."

"You make me sick. I hate looking at you. Watching you die would bring me nothing but pleasure."

She takes a deep breath.

"At least that's what I thought, but when you were in agony on the bed, all I wanted was for it to stop… Because it wasn't just you who was hurting. I saw Hiratsuka's face, and it broke my heart. I never want her to feel that way again."

He looks away, then down at the floor.

"I'm telling you this because I want you to know: I won't do it again. Whatever motivated me to want you dead is gone now. It's in the past and I want us to move forward."

Hachiman slowly stands up, and begins walking towards her. Yukino's heart starts beating rapidly, and she backs the chair up, then reaches into her purse.

"I have a handgun in this bag, if you attack me I'll defend my-"

"It's fine." He says, cutting her off. "I believe you. If you really wanted me dead, it'd be done. You've had ample opportunity I imagine."

She stands up off the chair and nods at him.

"That's right. I've come here a couple times to see if you'd awoke yet. Hiratsuka told me she wants to know as soon as you did."

"I guess I should speak to her."

The assassin looks around, and finds some clothes laid out on a crate. He takes the black dress-shirt and slips his arms through the sleeves, before buttoning it up.

"Are you going to tell her who you really are?"

"Yes."

"Why don't you just lie?"

He looks at Yukinoshita.

"There's no coming back from this, but even if there was: I'm done lying."

There is another brief silence.

"Alright. I rode the bus to a stop a couple streets from here. We can use the same route to go back to my apartment."

"Where's Rorona?"

Yukino picks up her bag, and begins walking towards the stairs.

"He said he had to go something."

Hachiman puts on his shoes, and catches up behind her.

* * *

 **Chiba Police Precinct – 15:32**

Detective Touma sits at his desk, typing away on his computer. Right now, he is finishing up a report for a gang bust he took part in. As he works, a lady in her mid-thirties jogs up to his table, and leans over it towards him.

"What's up, old man?" She greets, turning her head to see what he's doing on his computer.

"Writing a report, Karen."

"Sounds lame."

Karen is wearing a white polo-shirt and jeans. She also has short brown hair and a few freckles.

"You should be doing your reports too."

"No time. I had to run that background check for you, remember?"

He stops typing, and looks at her.

"How's that going?"

Karen raises her left arm, before placing a folder in front of him. Touma quickly reaches out to grab it.

"What's this?"

"It's the background check."

He opens the folder, and pulls out a single sheet of A4 paper. The document lists things like age, blood type, name and there is an image of Sobu High School's logo at the top.

"This isn't a background check… Are you joking? I need driver's licenses, family, friends, employers, pre-schools. I need everything."

The female detective sighs.

"Sorry Touma… All you gave me was the name 'Hachiman Hikigaya' and all I found was that… There is no driver's license, family, friends, employers or pre-school. Just a single piece of paper from a nurse's office."

"Dammit… That guy screwed me." Reo says angrily, as he clenches his fists.

"What guy?" She asks curiously.

The detective sighs.

"Thanks Karen."

Despite being annoyed at him ignoring her question, she simply shakes it off and stands up.

"You should read me in on this case you're working. We _are_ partners."

"Yeah… I know."

"Is it related to that Shizuka Hiratsuka lady by any chance?"

"No." He lies.

"Well, call me if you need me."

Karen smiles, and walks off. The detective continues staring at the piece of paper she gave him, hoping to use it as a lead.

* * *

 **Yukinoshita's Apartment – 15:58**

Yukinoshita unlocks her apartment door, and walks in. Behind her is Hikigaya with his hands in his pants pockets and a bored expression on his face.

On the couch inside the apartment is Hiratsuka, who has a stack of papers sitting on her lap along with several other stacks of papers on the coffee taper in front of her. Given the threat to her life, she has had to do all her work here instead of at home.

The teacher turns her head towards the door, and notices her student walk in.

"Hi Yukino, any n - Oh my god!"

She stands up as she sees Hikigaya, and runs towards him, letting the papers fall right off her lap. As the distance between them closes, she wraps her arms tightly around him. The assassin places his hands gently on her shoulders, not really hugging back.

A moment later, she pulls a way and looks at him with a warm smile.

"You're okay!"

"Yeah." He responds nonchalantly, which causes her to laugh and hug him again.

"Someone shot you and then there were criminals after us! Then we went to this basement and-"

"Yukinoshita told me."

She pulls away again, as he interrupts her.

"Right. How are you then?"

The dark-haired girl frowns seeing Hiratsuka so close to him, and walks off to her bedroom. She promptly shuts the door behind her.

"I'm fine."

There is a short silence, before he walks past her and stands over by the couch. Several loose pieces of paper lay by his feet.

"Hiratsuka, we need to speak about what happened."

She smiles, and sits down on the couch, looking up at him.

"Go ahead."

From the other room Yukinoshita listens to them speak, sitting with her back against the door.

"The man who shot me was a hired hitman. He executed the job in broad daylight, with a witness in clear view: So, I'd guess he was on the low end."

Hiratsuka stays silent as she listens.

"My memories _are_ vague, but I recall Rorona being there. I imagine he dealt with the hitman, then rushed over to me after I was hit."

He takes a deep breath, and looks away from her.

"The reason there was a contract out on me... Is because I am a professional assassin. I aggravated someone, and they tried to have me killed."

Yukino looks at the ground guiltily.

"After that, several men came to your apartment. They were sent by someone else: A man called Komanda. He runs a criminal empire, and I aggravated him as well."

Shizuka frowns for a second, before beginning to giggle.

"What?"

Hachiman sighs, and puts his head in his hands.

"Four months ago, Komanda hired me to infiltrate Sobu High School and gather damaging information on you or your father. Once I found it, I was to execute you."

From the bedroom, Yukinoshita stands up angrily and looks intensely at the door.

'Execute her?! He told me his mission was to protect her!'

Hiratsuka stares at him, and her mouth widens slightly.

"Several events occurred during this mission that I could not foresee. One of them being the police getting involved in your life, and another being my sisters capture. I had to act quickly on both of these, which caused a rift with my employer and I. At this point my mission with him is done, and I have no plans to fulfil it."

"W-Why are you saying this so matter-of-fact?" The teacher asks, as she stands up and backs away.

He says nothing and simply looks at the coffee table in front of him.

"I don't understand."

The words barely come out, as she feels her heart begin to race. Just then Yukinoshita walks back into the living room.

"Calm down, it's okay. Everything he is saying is true."

She looks at Yukino and then at Hachiman, before running her hands through her hair.

"What do you mean it's okay? This is insane."

"He was the one who killed my uncle in 2017."

Hikigaya nods slightly.

"You're a murderer?"

"Yeah…"

"You were gonna k-kill me?"

There is a moment of silence before he answers.

"Yes."

"But you're only fifteen!"

"I was raised with my sister in a special facility. We were trained from birth to be efficient killers."

She leans against the wall, and feels her bottom lip tremble.

"And you're just okay with that?!"

"I haven't given it much thought, up until recently."

The teacher looks over at Yukinoshita.

"I saw you fight those men. Are you…"

"No, I'm not an assassin." Yukino says with a chuckle.

"How is this funny?"

Hachiman stands up.

"It's not. I came here to tell you the truth, because this is the last time we're ever going to see each other."

"What?"

"My mission is over, I have no reason to stay."

Her eyes get slightly wet, as the older woman crosses her arms and turns away. Hikigaya looks over at Yukinoshita, then begins to walk around the couch and to the door. He glances at his teacher for a moment as he passes her, before reaching out to grab the door handle.

"Wait!" Hiratsuka yells out, facing him again. "You said we'll never see each other again, right?"

"Yes." He confirms, still looking at the door handle.

"Good. You're a liar and... A monster. Stay away from me, from my father, and from Yukino."

The assassin sighs, and looks over his shoulder at her.

"No problem."

They make eye contact, and he sees the look of shock on her face.

A few moments later, he pushes the door open and walks out, leaving Yukinoshita and Hiratsuka alone. As he walks down the hall he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

* * *

 **Chiba Police Precinct – 15:41**

'Hachiman Hikigaya… Who are you?'

Touma sits at his desk, staring at the document.

'Is this the assassin? Perhaps it's an alias, but that doesn't get me any closer to finding him.'

The detective leans back and looks around.

'First Shizuka Hiratsuka, then a shooting at her school, and now this. They're connected, but I don't know how.'

After thinking a little longer, he gets an idea and opens up a drawer under his desk.

'Before my investigation was halted by that woman, I was going to look into a guy…'

Reo rummages through some files, then pulls out his notepad. He begins flipping the pages, before finding what he's looking for. The top of the note has a name written down: Rorona Kobayashi. Touma puts the pad down in front of him, then quickly types the name into his computer.

There is a short loading screen, before an image pops up along with several boxes of information.

"Rorona Kobayashi, age 24. Divorced with one kid. Former corpsman for United States Marines. Now a Japanese citizen. Interesting."

 _ **BRRR**_

 _ **BRRR**_

Touma feels his phone vibrating in his pocket, and pulls it out. He then swipes at the green symbol, answering a call.

"Hello?"

 _"Hey. That blood we got from Sobu High School didn't come back with any matches. Sorry Touma."_ The person on the other end of the line says.

He sighs.

"Yeah, it's okay."

There is a brief silence, before he leans forward.

"Can you tell me something, Lee?"

 _"What?"_

"What blood type is it."

 _"Uhh… A-Positive. Why?"_

"Just give me a second."

Touma looks over at his computer screen, and checks Rorona's blood type.

'B-Positive. Not a match.'

He then looks over at the document from Sobu High School. There is a section titled 'blood' for Hachiman Hikigaya.

'A-Positive…'

"Hey Lee, I'll speak to you later."

 _"Sure…"_

Touma ends the call, and grabs his notepad. He quickly writes down how the blood from the school and this Hachiman Hikigaya person's match.

'It could be another coincidence, or it could be exactly what I need. Better check in on Rorona Kobayashi, and see what he's up to.'

* * *

 **Abandoned Basement – 21:05**

Hikigaya lays on the bed, with the back of his head rested on his palms. He has one leg bent, and is looking up at the ceiling. The sound of someone walking down the stairs catches his attention, and he looks over at the door, before seeing Rorona walk in holding a laptop and a sandwich.

"Hey." The older of the two greets, as he places his laptop down on one of the tables.

"Hi."

"You feeling okay?"

The assassin thinks about everything that's happened.

"No."

"Yeah well a bullet to the stomach will do that. You're lucky to be alive."

"It's all thanks to you." Hachiman says candidly.

Rorona chuckles and nods.

"Yeah it is, but it's all in a day's work you know? I wasn't about to just let someone bleed out even, if it wasn't you."

"It doesn't matter. Thank you."

They smile at each other, before Rorona opens up the laptop and turns it on.

"I visited Hiratsuka earlier, and told her everything."

"Damn… You didn't kill her, did you?" Rorona asks, only half-joking.

"Nope."

"Well that's progress for you." He says sarcastically, taking a bite out of the sandwich.

"I'm done being an assassin anyway."

Rorona looks at him.

"Really? Why?"

Hikigaya sits up, and stretches his arms.

"Had some personal revelations the other night."

"So now what?"

There is silence for several seconds.

"Komanda will still want Hiratsuka and I dead. We're loose ends. As long as he's alive, her life is in danger."

Rorona takes a deep breath, and walks up to the assassin.

"That means this isn't over. We'll have to get rid of him."

Hachiman nods.

"If we're going to do this. Then let's make it official. Partners?"

There is a short silence.

"Yeah, partners."

The two of them shake hands, before the younger of the two stands up.

"There's one more thing I have to do today."

Rorona raises an eyebrow, and moves out his way.

"What's that?"

Hikigaya sighs, as he walks to the exit.

* * *

 **Safehouse – 21:51**

After a long and expectedly painful walk, Hikigaya finds himself back at the apartment he and Ryuzaki have been using throughout this mission. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a key, then pushes it into the door. A few moments later, he unlocks it and walks in. The home is very bare, with just a couch and TV in the living room.

"Ryuzaki." Hachiman says loudly, trying to get his handlers attention.

The older man peeks his head out from the kitchen. There is some cream on his beard, and it appears he's chewing something.

"You've been gone for a while." He says, as he walks into the living room.

Hikigaya smiles and raises his shirt, revealing the bandage.

"I got shot in the stomach, almost died."

"Good to see you're back on your feet then."

"Yeah…"

Ryuzaki raises an eyebrow, as he sits down on the couch. Hachiman – still standing by the door – takes a deep breath, before speaking again.

"Is Komachi home?"

"She left yesterday."

The assassin frowns, and looks at his handler.

"Hachiman, is something wrong?"

There is a short silence.

"I'm done being an assassin. I quit."

"Huh?" Ryuzaki reacts with a chuckle. "You've been shot before, surely that's not enough-"

"I don't want to kill people anymore. That's all there is to it."

A thick tension develops in the air, as they look into each other's eyes.

"I'm sorry to spring this on you. You did a lot for me, teaching me everything and helping me get through life, but I just can't do it anymore. This'll be the last time I speak to you, since I won't need a handler. Feel free to clean out the bank account and keep my contract money."

Hikigaya turns around, and puts his hand on the door handle. Before he can leave, the older man stands up.

"What do you think will happen now?" Ryuzaki asks with an annoyed tone.

"What do you mean?"

"Assassins get sick of this job all the time. There's a reason I'm a handler. You don't have to quit. Why not take a break? Go back to The Farm."

"The Farm is shit, to say the least. I hated it there and you know it. I'm done being an assassin."

"So where are you going?! What are planning on doing tomorrow? Next week? Next year? In ten years? You think you can readjust into the world after killing your way through your childhood? People like you and I have no place in society. Think this through!" Ryuzaki yells out angrily.

He shakes his head.

"This is what I want. I don't know what will happen in the future..."

"I do. The Farm will not accept this. They'll send an assassin after you. I know you didn't get that bullet wound in some freak accident. Was it your current employer? He's not happy after you assaulted his assistant and took out a building full of men. If it wasn't him, then that means someone else wants your blood. Do you believe that you can really handle so many people wanting you dead?!"

The assassin turns back around, and stares angrily at his handler.

"I'll be fine on my own!"

Ryuzaki looks at Hachiman with disappointed expression.

"I can't stop you. At the end of the day you're free to do what you want, but the next time we see each other will likely be at your funeral, where you'll be buried under a false name, because like I said: You Hachiman, have no place in society."

"If that's what's going to happen, then that's what's going to happen."

With that, he opens the door and walks out. As he exits the building, Hikigaya drops his key in a trashcan. The walk back to the basement is long and tedious, and throughout it, he thinks about the year that's past and everything that's happened.

The robbery at Hiratsuka's apartment, saving Yuigahama's dog, dealing with Haruno, rescuing Komachi, and almost dying a couple days ago. The memories play through his mind one by one, as cars and people pass him.

Whether or not his decision will lead him to his death, Hikigaya doesn't know, but he does know two things: What he's going to do, and why he's going to do it.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** 8man has revealed himself to his now former teacher? Crazy stuff. Chapter 34 for will be up next week! Be sure to leave a review once in a while!


	34. Fight Club - Part 1

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: Six months ago, Hachiman - a professional assassin - was hired to find damaging information on teacher Shizuka Hiratsuka, and subsequently execute her. To complete the task, he was told to infiltrate Sobu High School and pose as a regular student.

Though the mission started off smoothly, the Yukinoshitas threw a spanner in the works when they tracked Hachiman down, looking for information on one of his past assassinations. The target for said assassination was incidentally Yukino's beloved uncle.

When Yukino discovered Hachiman's true identity, she hired a hitman to kill him. She did end up regretting this decision, after seeing the anguish it put Shizuka through.

This event - among others - laid the mission to rest, and Hachiman explained to Shizuka who he was and what his motives were. Despite the mission being over, Hachiman's former employer still wants him and the teacher dead. In light of this, Hachiman now has a new mission: To take down Komanda and ensure his and Shizuka's safety.

* * *

 **Saturday -** **Abandoned Basement** **– 07:10**

"Tell me what we got so far." Hikigaya says, as he leans back in his chair, looking over at Rorona.

Currently the two of them are in the basement, and have agreed to use it as a base of operations. Hachiman is wearing a blue t-shirt with jeans, while Rorona is wearing a black sweater and grey pants.

"I've been going neighbourhood to neighbourhood meeting up with drug dealers, arms dealers, etc.. So far the general consensus about Komanda is basically: He's scary and has a lot of power."

Hikigaya folds his arms, as Rorona walks over to a large whiteboard he's hung up on a wall. The board has several photos taped on in a pyramid formation.

The bottom of the board has three photos placed next to each other in a row. Above the three photos are two smaller ones. Finally, there is a single photograph at the very top, finishing off the pyramid.

The three photos to the top are of question marks, while the bottom three are each of a person's face.

"Up until about ten years ago, the Yakuza were the top dogs around Japan." Rorona begins explaining, before pointing to the picture at the top of the pyramid. "Then this guy Komanda came in and started a whole new organization. The police haven't named it yet, in fact they barely know anything about it. Everyone who works for Komanda seems to repeat the same thing: If you speak, you die. In other words, if you say anything to the police he'll have you killed, no questions asked. This has helped him keep everything under wraps as he gains more power in the criminal underworld."

"So this 'organization' he runs has no name at all?'

Rorona chuckles.

"No, it has a name. People on the streets refer to it as the Five-Rings."

Hachiman raises an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"Apparently each of Komanda's five lieutenants wear a ring with a gold star engraved on top. It symbolizes their loyalty to him."

"Don't his regular men also have gold stars in their pockets?"

"Yeah. If you flash one of those, no one will mess with you. It's basically a badge. Obviously the rings hold more water though."

"And these lieutenants, who are they?"

The older of the two points at the photos below the top one.

"These guys. As you can see the bottom three all have pictures. They're pretty open about their identities, but the police can't touch them because there's no evidence to link them to any crimes. The two above them - who don't have any photos - operate in secret."

Hikigaya stands up from his chair, and begins pacing around.

"Komanda hired me to discredit Hiratsuka's father, because his men were being putting away."

"And?"

"That means he isn't untouchable. If we take down these lieutenants, we could destroy his organization from the ground up. Without any power he'd have no choice but to forget about me and Hiratsuka."

Rorona nods.

"Seems do-able."

"Alright then. So we know what to do, but who do we start with?"

"Miyuki Ishikawa, Hiroshi Maeue, and Norio Nagayama are the lowest tier lieutenants. Miyuki runs a stripclub which the police suspect to be laundering money.

Hiroshi is the head of an underground fight club. The club is synonymous with it's lack of rules, and not many people who go in come out with all their bones intact, but the ones who do - make a lot of quick cash. Due to the revolving door of people in and out, Hiroshi uses this club to recruit men into the Five-Rings. Most people who are desperate enough to join a fight club to get by, wouldn't think twice about working for a crime lord if it pays well enough.

The last person on the bottom tier is Norio. He's a real monster. Right now, he has control over The Port of Chiba which as I'm sure you know is the largest harbour in Japan. This allows him to easily smuggle guns in, which arm Komanda's men."

There is a short silence, as Hachiman absorbs all the information.

"So if we take down Miyuki, his money will be hit? Taking down Hiroshi will have less men working for him? When we get rid of Norio his firepower will take a dive?"

"That's right."

"Okay, we'll start today. This fight club will be our first target."

Rorona nods, and grabs his car keys.

"Let's go."

* * *

 **Yukinoshita's Apartment – 07:21**

Yukinoshita opens her bedroom door, and walks out into the living room. Right now, she's wearing a black night gown and has her hair tied up above her head. The wealthy-girl just woke up a few minutes ago, and is about to make breakfast.

As she passes the couch on her way to the kitchen, she notices Hiratsuka lying down in a fetal position with a purple blanket over her. The teacher is wearing her usual outfit, except her white lab coat and vest are on the floor next to the couch and her shoes are off.

Both of Shizuka's feet are poking out of the blanket. Yukino notices the older woman only has one sock on, and raises an eyebrow. She looks around, and sees the other sock behind couch, surmising that Hiratsuka's foot probably got hot and she kicked it off in her sleep.

Instead of making her breakfast, the dark-haired girl continues to look at the bare foot. The skin is smooth and clean. Shizuka's toenails are painted a glossy black and it's clear she looks after them.

Just then, the toes begin to wiggle slightly. Yukinoshita widens her eyes, before kneeling down and getting a better look.

She finds herself captivated, as Hiratsuka's toes move around seemingly randomly. Despite each toe looking separate, they are all connected to the foot, and therefore can only move so far independently. This means when the toes wiggle, they do so in sync with one another.

Like soldiers, when one moves forth so do the rest. Occasionally they'll spread apart, but only momentarily before they come back together again. Yukino licks her lips, as her focus shifts from the toes to heel of the foot. She leans in closer, as her eyes study the curve from ball to heel. Her hand begins to move down to her own foot, and the dark-haired girl finds herself scratching against the side of her pinky toe. She drags her finger nails gently across the skin, as she moves her way up to her heel, still watching as her teacher's toes move around.

At this point she's leaned in so close she can practically smell them. Yukinoshita continues to drag her finger over her foot, before suddenly stopping and raising her hand. She feels the urge to touch the foot in front of her, and see if the skin feels the way she's been imaging it to.

Yukino reluctantly reaches out, feeling her heart beat faster as her hand gets closer. Moments later she makes contact, and feels her index finger connect with Hiratsuka's skin. She lets out a deep breath and smiles, as she slides her finger over the different parts of the foot.

It's smoother than imagined, but she can still feel the subtle wrinkles indented in the skin. She savours this feeling, while blissfully caressing every inch. Unfortunately, the experience comes to an abrupt end when she sees Shizuka's foot suddenly jerk forward, and straight into her face.

"Ow!" Yukino reacts, as she is knocked over by the blow.

Hearing the noise, Hiratsuka opens her eyes and quickly sits up. She sees her student lying on the ground, clutching her nose.

"Yukino?"

The wealthy-girl looks up at her teacher, as she recovers from the unintentional kick to the face.

"Good morning…"

* * *

 **Chiba Streets – 11:05**

Hikigaya and Rorona stand next together, leaning against the older of the two's car. Across the street in front of them is a boxing gym. The building is wide, and situated in between an auto-repair shop and a convenience store.

"This is the place?" The assassin asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Rorona responds with a smirk.

"Doesn't seem like much of a 'Fight Club' you know?"

"What were you expecting?"

"I don't know, but I didn't have a regular old boxing gym in mind. You'd think one of Komanda's lieutenants would use something less out in the open."

"Well there's more to it: The car repair shop and that convenience store both work under Hiroshi Maeue. The boxing gym is just a front."

"Is all this just common knowledge?"

Rorona sighs.

"Not really, but most people from shitty neighbourhoods have heard about this place."

"Then where'd you hear about it?"

"Old friends."

Hachiman looks over at his partner.

"Old friends?"

"I grew up in Chiba, then went to America just after high school."

"Any reason for that?"

"Parents died, had to go stay with relatives."

The assassin looks away from Rorona and at the gym, before getting back to the topic at hand.

"If the boxing gym is just a front, then where's the real club?"

"Apparently you have to go in and request to have a match with one of the trainers. The guy's name is 'The Mountain' and after you fight him the manager will slip you the location of the club. You don't have to win or anything, it just has to be a good match."

"So I'll go in and fight this 'Mountain' guy, then we go to the real club, find Hiroshi, take him down."

"Sounds good."

They nod at each other, before simultaneously crossing the road and heading towards the entrance to the gym. The door has a metal frame, with two large rectangular glass panes offering a distorted view inside. There is a small sign taped on with the word "OPEN" written in kanji.

Hikigaya reaches out and pulls on the handle, before pushing open the door. As they walk in, they're greeted with smell of sweat and energy drinks. As expected, the interior is quite large, with a hardwood floor and several shirtless men walking around. Some are carrying large black gym bags, while others have towels around their neck.

Boxing gloves and punching bags can be seen hung on the walls, along with shelves of trophies and certificates. Most of the space inside is taken up by three large boxing rings situated next to each other. There are benches placed on the area between each ring.

In one of the rings, two men are standing across from each other, both wearing head gear, gloves, and shorts. The other rings are empty, leaving these two guys as the only ones currently sparring.

Over by the corner of the gym is a small office. Hikigaya walks over there and then inside, while Rorona watches the men spar. The office is small and crammed with cabinets, barely fitting the table and overweight manager inside. As Hachiman enters, said manager looks up at him.

"Hi." The assassin greets expressionlessly.

"Who the hell are you?" The manager asks, as he lights a cigar and puts it in his mouth.

He is wearing a white dress shirt, though his large gut has caused a few buttons at the bottom to fall off. On his desk are several McDonald's cheeseburger wrappers, with the remnants of old food inside.

"I'm looking to fight… The Mountain."

There is silence for several seconds, as the two of them look into each other's eyes.

"Hahahaha!"

The manager begins laughing loudly, before his laugh turns to a cough and he becomes somewhat out of breath.

"Is that a joke? What are you like fifteen years old? Get outta here!"

Hikigaya frowns and reaches behind his back, pulling out a roll of cash from his pocket. A moment later, he tosses the money onto the desk.

"What's this?" The older man asks, eyeing the money.

"One hundred thousand yen."

"For?"

"I bet you one hundred thousand yen that I can beat The Mountain. If I lose you get it, and if I win, then I keep it."

There is a brief silence, as the manager considers the proposal.

"Well shit, it's your money." He says, before opening a drawer under his desk and pulling out a form. "Sign this."

Hikigaya takes the A4 sized piece of paper and begins skimming the contents. Essentially, the form is a waver to say if you get seriously injured or killed, that the boxing gym is legally not responsible and cannot be sued.

Wasting no time, he takes a pen and signs his name on the form. He then grabs the wad of cash and puts it back into his pocket.

"I'll call The Mountain right away, you go change into some gear. Locker rooms are to the left."

The assassin turns around and heads out the office as the overweight man attempts to stand up off his chair, knocking some wrappers off his desk in the process.

Outside the office, Rorona watches Hachiman as he re-enters the gym.

"What did he say?" Rorona asks, as they begin walking side-by-side towards the locker rooms.

"He didn't take me seriously at first, so I bet him one hundred thousand yen that I'd win the fight."

Rorona's eyes widen and he clenches his fist.

"The hell? You told me your bank accounts were no longer accessible, and it's not like I have any money! We barely have enough to pay for food."

"Calm down." Hikigaya says, giving Rorona an annoyed look. "Yesterday I stole a bunch of pizza coupons. When you stack them on top of each other they look like real paper money from the side, so I just took two one thousand-yen bills and put them on the top and bottom of the stack. Besides, It's not like I'm not going to win; have a little faith."

The older of the two shakes his head disapprovingly, as they head into the locker rooms.

* * *

 **Yukinoshita's Apartment – 12:10**

Yukinoshita and Hiratsuka sit across from one another by the dinner table in the kitchen, as they discuss some things. The wealthy-girl is still wearing her night gown, while Shizuka has opted for more casual clothes.

Each of them has a plate of food in front of them, along with a glass of orange juice.

"So let's get this straight: Your parents are the heads of a crime family that all of your relatives are involved in?"

Yukino tenses up slightly, as she takes a sip from her juice.

"Yes…"

"And you also know kung-fu?"

"Kind off…"

Th teacher raises an eyebrow, and leans back in her chair.

"What do you mean 'kind off'? I saw you beat those guys up!"

"Well it's not technically kung-fu. It's a combination of Krav Maga, Mauy Tai and Silat."

"Sounds the same to me."

Yukinoshita frowns slightly, before speaking.

"Hiratsuka, I know your father is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and judging by his reputation he'd be more than ready to send everyone I'm related to straight to prison, so I hope that all the times you've asked me to trust you ring true, even now."

The older woman smiles, as she watches her student try and avoid eye contact.

"Frankly I don't care what my father would do. Plus, since you know about all the criminal stuff that means you'd go to jail too, right?"

"Yes…"

"I don't want you to go jail! You're a good person Yukino. Of course you can trust me."

There is silence for several seconds, as Yukino feels her heart warmed.

"Th-Thank you."

"It's no problem. I'll always be there for you, BUT I still want to go home. Can you please explain why I have to stay with you again?"

"Japan has three large players in organized crime: The Five-Stars, The Yukinoshitas and the Yakuza. The leader of the Five-Stars wants you dead."

The teacher sighs, and rests her forehead next to her food on the table.

"Why?"

"I'd imagine it's related to your father."

"And how do you know about this?"

"Hikigaya's friend told me."

"Hikigaya…"

A thick wave of depression fills the kitchen, as Yukinoshita watches her teacher lethargically raise her head from the table.

"Are you still upset about it?"

Hiratsuka scoffs.

"Not at all."

"Are you sure?"

"Why wouldn't I be sure? Hachiman is just another liar. Nothing new."

"I think it's more complicated than th-"

"It's not." Shizuka interrupts, raising her hand.

"Well I've got Rorona's number. We'll see what we can do about the Five-Stars. Until then, you'll be staying with me."

"Can't we go out or something!? How about the zoo?"

"I hate the zoo."

Hiratsuka's mouth widens.

"What?!"

"Besides, we can't go out at all unless it's to or from school."

As they continue to eat their breakfast, the teacher's complaining does not wane.

* * *

 **Boxing Gym – 12:45**

Hikigaya leans against the three ropes that frame the boxing ring. The top rope is red, with the middle white, and the last blue. It's likely they were painted this way to give the gym an "American" theme, and appeal to Japanese people that are interested in the culture. The actual ring is about half metre off the ground, with a solid white floor. Each corner has a large pole coming out, which the ropes are connected to.

Rorona is standing on the edge of the ring behind the ropes, holding a bottle of water and a cloth. Hachiman has now changed into a baggy red tank top that has a fist logo on the front, with a white outline on the sides. He is also wearing similarly coloured headgear and gloves. The gear feels tight against his temples and cheeks, allowing only his face and top of his head to be seen.

"How're you feeling?" Rorona asks, as he looks at his partner.

"Well I've never been in a boxing match, so I don't know how to feel."

"I mean you've been real fights. How different could it be?"

The question is rhetorical, and Hikigaya chooses to stay silent.

A few moments later, they notice the overweight manager strolling towards them. On his shirt is a tomato sauce stain, and in his left hand is a half-eaten burger.

"You ready to fight?" He asks loudly, walking past some other boxers.

The assassin looks down at him and nods. He promptly takes his hands and makes a cone around his mouth, before whistling loudly.

A door on the left side of the gym opens, and a man walks out. Rorona and Hachiman look over at him. The man appears about seven-foot-tall and has extremely large biceps. His pectoral and calf muscles are similarly large, with a an extremely toned six-pack to match.

This man also has light-brown skin and a bald head, along with baby blue shorts that barely cover his thighs. Around his neck is a necklace with a cross. As for gear, he has the same headgear and gloves Hikigaya does.

"Holy shit…" Rorona says, as his eyes widen. "That's The Mountain?!"

"What'd you expect?" The manager responds with a chuckle, before slapping his gut.

"There's no way you could beat that guy! The last thing we need right now is to go into debt."

Hachiman frowns, watching The Mountain walk towards the ring.

"You're right."

Rorona gets a confused look on his face.

"Huh?"

"There's no way I could beat this guy."

"Uh… Yeah. So what're you gonna do?"

"I'm going to fight him."

"Oh god…" The older of the two mutters, putting his head in his hands. "I can't believe this is how you die…"

The Mountain reaches out and grabs the rope, before pulling himself up into the ring. A proxy referee also climbs up, and takes a whistle out of his pocket. The three of them all walk to the middle of the ring.

"Alright I want a good clean fight. No low blows, watch your heads, and when I say "break" you stop! Understood?

Hikigaya and his opponent look directly into each other's eyes, both with a similarly emotionless expression.

"Okay. Touch gloves."

The two of them raise their arms, and bump their fists together indicating the match has started. The referee quickly backs away, giving them space.

Rorona watches nervously from outside the ring, as the two face each other. Even some other boxers' attention has been caught by the giant muscular man and regular looking teenager in a ring together.

Since the match has started, it would be expected of both men fighting to back up and raise their arms in defence of incoming attacks, however neither Hachiman or The Mountain do this. Instead, both of them simply stand one metre away from each other with their arms at their side.

Hikigaya continues to look into his opponent's eyes, offering not even a glimpse of emotion. After a good ten or so seconds, The Mountain raises an eyebrow, before looking off to the side at the manager.

The overweight man makes a similarly confused expression, as he watches the assassin simply stand still. This goes on for a little while longer, before The Mountain frowns and backs away slightly.

"I'm going to hit you now." He warns with scarily deep voice and a Russian accent. "If you do not leave the ring, you will die. Understand?"

Hikigaya says nothing, and continues staring at him with no defence. Once again, The Mountain glances over at the manager, who is now biting his lip.

A moment later, the large man scowls and raises his right arm, clenching his four fingers and his thumb against his palm, and forming a fist with the glove. The Mountain takes a deep breath, before throwing his fist right at Hachiman's face.

Hikigaya stays completely still and calm, feeling time slow down as the fist moves closer and closer to towards him, flying through the air. If it connects, the strength of the man's punch will at best give him life long brain damage, and at worst kill him instantly. Hachiman feels his pinky finger twitch slightly, as adrenaline fills his blood. Not even a millisecond later, the distance between the man's fist and his face closes, however instead of connecting, The Mountain stops his punch a centimetre away from his opponents nose.

The assassin feels his hair fly around a little, as the air is knocked back by the blow. The Mountain grins, before looking over at the manager for a third time, and nodding with a satisfied look on his face.

Rorona stands with his mouth and eyes wide, as he tries figure out what the hell is going on.

"I give up, you win." The large man says, pulling off his gloves and dropping them to floor.

He then proceeds to climb over the ropes, and out the ring.

"Shit, kid. Congrats!" The manager remarks with a sigh.

Hikigaya looks over at him and smiles, before beginning to pull off the gloves and headgear. Without much hesitation, Hachiman heads over to the locker rooms, and changes back into the clothes he arrived in.

A few minutes later, he returns to the main area of the gym, and sees Rorona still staring at the ring with a confused expression.

"Uhh… Are you okay?" He asks, looking up at the older man.

Rorona jumps off the ring and onto the wooden floor, before grabbing his partner by the shoulders.

"What just happened?! Why didn't you get killed?! Why did he give up?!"

"Isn't it obvious?"

He shakes his head vigorously, still standing in front of Hachiman with his hands on his shoulders.

"Komanda uses the fight club to recruit men, but he obviously can't just let anyone in." The assassin explains. "When I saw The Mountain - I knew I couldn't beat him, and neither can ninety-nine percent of the people who would come in here requesting the match. I surmised Komanda wants people that are brave and willing to fight anyone. As long as you don't back down from the fight, The Mountain would forfeit. If you actually had to beat him, then there wouldn't anyone to join The Five-Stars ranks."

"But that's just a guess! What if you were wrong?!"

"Then I'd have died."

"That doesn't scare you?"

Hikigaya looks down at his pinky finger.

"Actually, I kind of enjoy the feeling."

Their conversation is interrupted when the manager walks up behind Hachiman, and taps him on the shoulder.

"You seem pretty young, so I'm hesitant to give you this." The manager says, as he raises his right arm, revealing a small piece of paper in between his fingers. "But hey, it's your life."

The two of them turn to face him, as he hands the paper to the assassin and walks away. Hikigaya looks down at it, only to see an address written in cursive.

"Now we know where the fight club is, what's step two?" Rorona asks, looking over Hachiman's shoulder at the paper.

"Good question…"

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Looking at the reviews for this story, I have noticed some readers think that Match Point will be ending soon. This is not the case. We are not even close to the end. I am only saying this so people don't anticipate a finale each week, and feel blue-balled when it inevitably doesn't come (hehe)

Anyway, I will now try and respond to reviews in the AN section, because apparently you're supposed to do that? Who knows! Here it goes though:

SmexehBeast asks "Are Hiratsuka and Hachiman gonna end up together?"

That would be nice, but considering he just told Shizuka he was planning to murder her, I feel that the two of them are going through a bit of rough patch right now, but who knows what the future might hold? You'll just have to keep reading.

And that's all I will be responding to for this week, maybe next week I'll respond to more (or less?).

In other news, Match Point now has a new cover. I think it looks super cool!

Chapter 35 will be up next week!


	35. Fight Club - Part 2

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: Yukino and Shizuka deal with living under the same roof, while 8man and Rorona get the location of the real Fight Club.

* * *

 **Wednesday - Abandoned Basement – 15:59**

"Six hundred and one…"

Hikigaya takes a deep breath, as he lowers his chest to the ground.

"Six hundred and two…"

He exhales loudly, then raises his body up, before lowering it again.

"Six hundred and three…"

Currently, he is winning a bet Rorona made with him. The older of the two said that Hachiman couldn't do more than three hundred push-ups in one go. Of course by now the assassin has doubled the amount suggested and is still going strong.

"Six hundred and four…"

While he does this, Rorona sits on the bed looking at news articles on his phone; occasionally he'll glance over at his partner, but for the most part he keeps his attention online. The two of them have been trying to kill some time since last week, and have agreed to head to the fight club later tonight.

"Six hundred and fi-"

Right before finishing the next push up, Hikigaya hears footsteps by the stairs leading into the basement, prompting him to quickly stand up. Rorona notices this and drops his phone on the pillow, before reaching behind his back and pulling out a handgun. The assassin runs over to a small crate, where he grabs a submachine gun and aims it right at the doorway. The two of them look at each other for a moment, then back at the entrance. Both are clearly ready for whatever's about to come through the door.

A moment later it opens up, and a young girl with light brown hair casually walks in, only to see the guns aimed at her. She backs away awkwardly and blushes. Rorona smiles and puts the handgun down. Hachiman looks at him, then at the girl, before slowly putting his gun down as well.

"Yuigahama…" He says, acknowledging her.

"Hi Hikki! Hi Rorona…"

Currently, she is wearing a yellow scarf under a thick bright red jacket. Yui also has tight jean-shorts on over black leggings with boots. Hikigaya is simply dressed in cargo pants with no shirt, while Rorona wears a polo top and jeans.

"Why're you here?" The assassin asks bluntly.

She puts her hands behind her back and looks to the side.

"I-I wanted to see how you were doing…"

He quickly jogs over to her and peeks up the stairs she came from, making sure no one is following behind. After checking for a good few seconds, he backs out and stands about a metre in front of Yuigahama.

"Well I'm fine... I heard you gave me your blood, and I didn't get a chance to thank you."

"Oh it's no problem…" Yui responds, as her eyes travel down his bare torso and over the large burn mark on his stomach.

It's clear what she's looking at, and Hikigaya doesn't dance around the topic.

"It's not as bad as it seems."

She chuckles nervously and shakes her head.

"I remember watching you bleeding in Hiratsuka-sensei's apartment… It was scary."

"Yeah." He agrees, frowning at the mention of his now ex-teacher.

Rorona doesn't pay too much attention to them, and quickly gets back on his phone.

"Yukinon told me everything by the way; about who you are, and what you do." Yui explains, as her eyes lock with Hachiman's.

"Well you inexplicably helped save my life, so I suppose you deserve to know."

In the back of his mind, he feels a slight worry. Yuigahama is a just a regular girl, and her knowing about his true identity as an assassin puts him in danger, not to mention she is clearly also aware of the location he's hiding out in.

"It wasn't inexplicable!" She responds, clenching her fists. "I wouldn't let anyone just… Die. Especially not you!"

There is a short silence, as they stand awkwardly in front of each other.

"I hate to ask this but…"

"You can trust me! If that's what you were going to say. I'm actually good at keeping secrets so… Don't worry about it!"

Hikigaya smiles at her and she smiles back, albeit more reserved.

"You're not scared at all? I'm sure Yukinoshita warned you to stay away from me."

Yuigahama takes a deep breath.

"Of course I'm scared, but not of you! I know you're a good person, and I'll never think otherwise no matter what!"

"You understand who I am right?" He asks, folding his arms. "I've murdered a lot of people. That's pretty frowned upon. It's strange you'd call me anything other than a monster..."

"No, it's not strange... Don't you remember how we met?"

He raises an eyebrow.

"I remember."

"You saved my dog! It all happened in a split second; his collar came loose and a car was coming, but then you jumped in. If you had hesitated for even a moment he'd have died. That means you _didn't_ hesitate, and you saved him on instinct."

"That's all it takes to be a good person?"

"I mean you're an… Assassin, and all those people you k-killed were by choice. When you saved my dog - you didn't have to decide, because it's just who you are."

He looks down at the ground, considering her reasoning. Regardless, to Hikigaya "good" and "bad" are constructs that are largely irrelevant. If he had to filter his decisions through the murky waters of morality, it's likely he'd have the ability to do a lot less. It's clear though, that Yui does not share this sentiment.

"Well I won't argue with you. Thanks for the blood, but right now I think it's best if you didn't come here. I'm fine, so there's nothing to worry about."

She frowns and clenches her fist.

"I didn't just come here for that."

Hachiman looks at her, and their eyes lock once again.

"I think you should go speak to Hiratsuka-sensei."

"No."

His answer is rather snappy.

"Why not?"

"There's nothing to speak about."

"But you two are friends, right? I understand and forgive you for lying, I'm sure she will too if you just ex-"

"No; my involvement has led directly to Hiratsuka's life being endangered. Me initiating contact will not help at all. Right now Rorona and I working to get the men who want her dead gone."

"But she's your friend."

"Actually, she's not. She's my former target. I'll do what I can to help her now, but we were never real friends."

Yuigahama gets an annoyed look on her face, as Hikigaya turns around and begins walking away.

"You should go home. There aren't too many busses in this area, and if you don't leave soon you might not be able to catch one at all."

She ignores his advice and stomps her foot on the ground.

"If you don't care about Hiratsuka-sensei at all, then why even bother to help her?!"

He stops walking, and looks over his shoulder at her.

"You don't need to care about someone to not want them to die an unnecessary death; I just said we aren't friends. Once I clean up the mess I've made, I'm going my own way."

"She cares about you!" Yui says candidly. "Hiratsuka-sensei told Yukino and me when we slept over at her apartment. I could tell by the way that she speaks about you that she cares. You should go see her."

The assassin walks over to a crate and pulls out a white dress shirt. He slides his arms into the sleeves, before buttoning the top up.

"Will you at least think about it?"

There is long silence, as he pulls some shoes out of the crate as well, puts them on, then ties the laces. When he is done, he looks at Yuigahama with a bored expression.

"Yeah, I'll think about it."

She smiles and turns around.

"I'll come visit you every week to see how you're doing!"

"Bring some food as well…" Rorona suggests, looking up from his phone.

"Okay!"

With that she opens up the door, and begins climbing the stairs out the basement.

"You shouldn't be so hard on her."

Hikigaya looks at Rorona, as he stands up.

"I'm not hard on her. Right now she's a liability."

"Shut up. You need to be more trusting, it's clear she likes you. Not to mention you owe her your life."

"Whatever..." Hachiman responds, running his hands through his hair. "Let's go."

"What? Where?"

"To the fight club."

"Wait... Right now?"

"What can I say? I'm feeling motivated..."

* * *

 **Yukinoshita's Apartment – 16:30**

Hiratsuka looks to the left, then to the right - before slyly grinning. Right now she is sitting in an empty bathtub, holding a bottle of wine.

Before coming here, Yukinoshita told the older woman to grab only the most basic necessities from her apartment. That meant toothbrushes, makeups, clothes, and anything related to her school work. Hiratsuka tried to bring along some manga and anime Blu-rays, but Yukinoshita was quick to veto the idea.

Another item Shizuka wanted to take with was her mini-fridge filled with various alcohols. As expected - Yukino said no, but the teacher still snuck in one treasure: An expensive bottle of champagne she's been saving for a special occasion.

In her mind this "special occasion" was going to be a romantic dinner on a yacht with a celebrity. Instead, she's drinking it while hiding in her student's bathroom.

Yukinoshita is currently in the living room, getting her mandatory one hour of television consumption per day completed. During the time they've been staying together, Hiratsuka has noticed that when her student turns on the television - few things take her attention away, meaning she has a clear run to drink a bit of this wine.

'I should save a little for another time, since its not like I can go out…'

She giggles to herself, as she bites her lip and looks over every curve of the wine.

A moment later, Shizuka reaches out and begins pulling on the cork. When it doesn't come out, she pulls harder. Still, it stays lodged in the bottle.

'Hmm…'

She pulls it again, this time harder than ever before, clenching her face. Once again it doesn't budge, and a feeling of disappointment clouds the room.

It doesn't take her long to realize she'll need something to get the cork out, so Hiratsuka gently places the bottle down, before climbing out and the tub and walking towards the bathroom door. Using all her focus, she silently unlocks it and pulls down the handle. The Yukinoshita family isn't cheap, so there's no need to worry about creaky hinges.

She tiptoes out the bathroom and towards the kitchen. To her left is the back of the couch where Yukino is sitting facing the TV. A news station is relaying all the current events of the day. The teacher smiles, and continues her trek to the kitchen.

Upon reaching her destination, she kneels down by the different draws, opening them one by one. Eventually she finds a knife that should be able to remove the cork. Hiratsuka grabs it, then begins making her way back. As she re-enters the bathroom, she silently shuts the door, and strolls merrily towards the tub.

However, to her great surprise the champagne bottle has disappeared.

'What the…'

Suddenly the door behind her opens, and Shizuka turns around in a panic. In the doorway is Yukino, standing holding the bottle with a disappointed look on her face.

"Do you truly have no self-control?"

* * *

 **Fight Club – 20:42**

Hikigaya and Rorona slowly walk through a massive crowd of people all gathered in a wide underground clearing. In the middle of the clearing is a large cage, where two shirtless men can be seen throwing punches at each other. Above the cage is a disco ball, which is reflecting several rainbow coloured lights flashing around the club. In one corner is a DJ standing behind a turn-table, and in-between two large speakers that are blaring music out. The loud music is matched only by the cheering crowd watching as the fight takes place.

"Well… This is certainly interesting!" Rorona says loudly, trying to speak over the noise.

"Not really, it seems pretty normal for a club!" Hikigaya responds, equally as loud.

"You're like ten years old, what do you know about clubs?"

The assassin chuckles, as they continue pushing through people.

"This is the perfect place to carry out a hit. Shoot someone and no one will hear, not to mention all the drugs; swap out cocaine for rat poison and your target will never know what hit them."

"Oh yeah, sorry... Sometimes I forget you're a psychopath."

As they arrive at the other end of the club, the amount of people begins to decrease. There is a bar connected to a wall, along with some couches placed about where people can be seen relaxing. Rorona and Hachiman sit down on the stools and both order some water. To the side, they notice an old man with a beard speaking to some guy who looks about twenty.

"Please sir, you gotta give me a job! I've proven myself! They're gonna evict me and my little brother!"

The man looks at him and sighs.

"Sorry kid. I got ten others wanting work just like you. Not just anyone can get in bed with Komanda, know what I'm saying?"

"I'm begging you."

"You mentioned you had a little brother right, how old's he?"

"F-Fourteen, why?"

"How about this: I get your brother some product, and he pushes it for me throughout his school. If that works out, I'll see about giving you some more permanent work."

"You want my brother dealing drugs?"

"Are you in?" The man responds, not really answering the question.

The younger the two puts his head in his hands, before nodding frantically.

"Good, now get outta here."

Hikigaya and Rorona listen carefully, as they sip their water.

"That's him." Rorona says, shifting his gaze towards the old man. "That's the lieutenant."

"Huh, interesting tactic, getting the guy's little brother to commit a crime like dealing."

"Yeah, most of the guys who come here looking for work are bruisers. They can guard stashes and maybe knock a couple heads together. For the most part they're expendable and Komanda knows this. Getting their families involved in crime gives him a big amount of leverage; so let's say Komanda needed someone killed for cheap, he could threaten one of his men to do it, and if they didn't, then he'd get their families arrested. This also prevents them from confessing."

"Sounds like a nice man..."

"He's no worse than any other big gun. No one cares about the guys at the bottom, or what they go through."

"Let's just get this done."

Rorona nods and leans forward.

"So, what's the plan?"

"I'm kind of over killing people, so I want to get this guy arrested. Calling the police to this club won't do much, especially if no one rats him out. An anonymous tip probably wouldn't be much help either. I'll need to get into his office, find some evidence, then hand him over to the cops."

"How do we get you into his office?"

"I'd hazard a guess that when he wants to speak real business, he wouldn't do it out here. If I can get him to hire me, I should be able to get to the office."

"Wait… Why would he want to hire you?"

Hikigaya slides off the stool and stands up.

"Just wait and see."

Rorona shakes his head disapprovingly, as the assassin walks off, leaving him at the bar.

* * *

 **Yukinoshita's Apartment – 19:21**

Hiratsuka peaks over Yukinoshita's shoulder, as the younger of the two sits at her kitchen table, writing answers in a workbook.

"What you doing?" Shizuka asks curiously.

"Homework." Yukino answers, not looking away from the book.

"Yeah obviously, but what homework?"

"Social Sciences."

"Why don't you do the language work I gave you?"

"I already did it, along with all the other subjects. All that is left is Social Sciences."

The teacher grins.

"That's too bad… I could have given you all the answers for your language work."

"No need, I already knew all the answers. Also, if you give a student the answers, the homework is rendered pointless."

"I guess you're right…"

"I am right. How did you even become a teacher?"

Hiratsuka frowns at the remark, and walks over to the chair next to Yukinoshita, then sits down.

"Yui is coming over for a sleepover later." Yukinoshita says, writing something down.

The mention of Yuigahama peaks the teachers and interest, and her frown quickly disappears.

"I used to love sleepovers when I was your age; we would paint our toenails, speak about our classmates, and read magazines!"

She smiles at the memories.

"Then when we got older, all that got replaced with beers, cigarettes, and-"

"I arranged the sleepover with Yui to discuss the subjects she's under-performing in." Yukino interrupts. "There will be no painting toenails, speaking about classmates, or reading magazines. Let alone the other stuff you mentioned…"

"You're such a wet blanket Yukino! At this rate, Yui will be the only friend you ever have! Other than me of course."

The young girl looks up from her workbook, before closing it and standing up.

"I'm not a wet blanket - I'm responsible."

She begins to walk away, as Hiratsuka stares at her with a warm smile.

* * *

 **Fight Club – 21:05**

Rorona sits on the bar stool, facing the crowd. He has his left elbow rested against the counter, with a Coca-Cola in his right hand. After Hikigaya left him twenty minutes ago, he has been nursing this drink through a plastic straw, waiting for him to return.

Past the crowd is the fighting ring, where two sweaty men have just finished their fight and are walking off. In the middle of the ring is a referee, though he looks more like a nightclub bouncer with his large physique and bald head. As the men leave, a new person enters. He is white, with tattoos all over his body. The man is thin, but muscular. Another thing to note is that his left eye is missing. The crowd begins cheering, as music plays loudly.

From the other end of the ring, Hikigaya steps through the chain-link gate. Rorona's eyes widen, and he leans forward to get a better a look. The assassin has only his cargo pants on, leaving him bare feet and shirtless. To the side of Rorona, Hiroshi Maeue (Komanda's lieutenant) watches closely, as he drinks some beer.

Inside of the ring, Hikigaya and his opponent begin walking closer to each other, while both rotating around the centre point.

"What's your name kid?" The one-eyed man asks, as the loud crowd cheers in the background.

"Does it matter?" Hachiman responds, raising his fists in front of his face.

"I don't know… You look young, but that burn on your stomach don't seem like something the average kid would get, even in an accident. So I just wanna let you know: I won't go easy."

The flashing lights and loud music give an overwrought atmosphere, exciting everyone in the club.

"Are we going to fight or you going to chat me to death?"

The one-eyed man grins, and begins running towards Hikigaya. As the distance between them closes, he goes in for the punch. Without blinking, the assassin catches the man's fist and pulls him to the side. He then elbows him in the face and kicks him in the stomach. A moment later, Hachiman swipes his opponents leg, dropping the man to ground.

"Guess I win…" He says, as he turns around and begins walking away.

"Huh? Win?"

The one-eyed man jumps up and tackles Hachiman to the ground.

"You don't win until your opponent gives up."

He punches the assassin hard in the face, then begins to strangle him.

"Or until they die…"

Hikigaya raises his legs, then wraps them around the man's neck and shoulders. He proceeds to roll over, pulling his opponent off of him. A moment later, he knees the man in the face, knocking him out. The crowd cheers loudly, with Hiroshi clapping softly from the bar.

Over the next hour, several men challenge Hachiman to a fight; all of them end up meeting a similar fate. Needless to say, he's got the lieutenants attention.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** This Hiroshi guy is a real piece of work, but what can you expect from one of Komanda's top guys?

Here is the review we will be responding to this week:

Clipsus says "Poor Yuigahama, Hiratsuka is cucking here without even trying."

This is true. Get ready for 92 chapters of NTR and feet.

Speaking of chapters, the 36th chapter will be up next week - as always.


	36. Fight Club - Part 3

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: 8man and Rorona form a plan to take down Komanda's lieutenant.

* * *

 **Wednesday – Fight Club - 21:40**

Hikigaya makes a fist, then raises his right hand high up in the air. The crowd surrounding the ring cheers loudly, as sweat drips down his body.

After winning several fights, Hachiman decides now's a good time to take a break. He pants loudly, as he walks to the chain-link gate and bangs on it twice. The referee pulls out a key and turns it into the lock, before opening it up. Upon exiting the ring, the assassin makes his way through and out the crowd, while he is guided to a door on the upstairs balcony at the far-right side of the club. The door leads to a locker room, which has his clothes and belongings waiting.

"Thanks..." He says to the man who helped there, as the door behind him is shut.

The floor of the room is tiled, and there are two long wooden benches in the middle. By the wall is an open window, which offers a view of the street. Since the club is underground, the second floor (where this locker room is) is topside.

Without hesitation, he grabs his shirt and puts it on. After that he slides his feet into his shoes, then puts his phone back in his pocket. As he dresses, Hikigaya hears the faint sound of footsteps behind him, but before he can turn around - he feels a wire wrap around his neck and choke him.

He begins to sway from left to right, before jumping backwards against his attacker. Both him and the man fall to the floor, and the wire ends up loosening for a moment. Knowing this is his chance, Hachiman moves forward, then rolls over and stands up. As he does this, the man stands up as well and they both back up, before getting a good look at each other.

The attacker is wearing a charcoal black suit with a red ascot and white latex gloves. In his right hand he holds a fibre wire connected to two handles. This man is Mason, Komanda's fixer.

"I see that bullet wound isn't doing you too bad." Mason says casually, shooting Hikigaya a half-smile.

Instead of responding, the assassin simply gets into a fighting stance with a blank expression.

"Ah, I see; you're one of 'those' types. You know, usually when I approach someone with the intent of taking their life - I get a question or a threat. 'Who are you?' or 'Don't do something you'll regret!' but not you. You just go right in, unfazed by the garrotte."

There is still no response, prompting Mason to chuckle slightly, before nodding.

"To be fair, I'm also like that. We're born killers. It's in our blood; we can't run away from it. So tell me Hachiman Hikigaya, why are you trying to? You were working well with Komanda, but then you attack his compound, and now you're at a fight club run by one of his top men. If I were to guess, I'd say you're coming after him."

He chuckles again.

"But that'd be crazy, because a man as powerful as my employer would put you in the ground. You and the teacher."

The assassin takes a deep breath, before speaking.

"So what, Komanda hired you to kill me and Hiratsuka? Am I supposed to be intimidated?"

"Komanda hired me to solve a problem. You and Hiratsuka just happen to be that problem. That being said, I am a deal maker. I prefer things being clean. So let's make a deal: How about you hand over the judge's daughter, and I let you live."

Tension is high, as they both stare into each other's eyes. Hachiman's are blank, while Mason's seem gleeful.

"If you're so good at solving problems, why don't you go find Hiratsuka yourself?"

"Well, I found her already. That wasn't too hard... She's staying over at an apartment in one of the richer neighbourhoods with that Yukino Yukinoshita girl. The problem is I can't get to her. It was smart of you to stash her with the daughter of the head of the Yukinoshita crime family; if someone working on behalf of the Five-Stars were to do anything to harm a Yukinoshita, there'd be a _strong_ retaliation, and if the Yukinoshita's don't work with Komanda, they'll go right after their sworn enemies the Yakuza. It's likely that would spark a war, which wouldn't be good for anyone..."

"So you're stuck. You don't have any moves."

"I have you."

"You tried to kill me."

"That's in the past."

"It was not even five minutes ago."

There is a brief silence, as Mason puts the garrotte in his back pocket.

"I grew up at The Farm too. I knew your handler many years ago, before you were even out in the field."

"I don't care where you grew up, or who you know… I don't have a handler anymore."

"You'll come around eventually. It's not like you're the first hitman to have second thoughts. While I wait for your teacher friend to go out in the open, maybe I'll pay a visit to the detective hunting you."

"How do you know all this?" Hikigaya asks curiously. "No brief could have all this information."

"I know everything. It's my job... So no deal?"

"How about I break your neck? It'll be a quick death, painless too if you want."

Mason grins.

"Like I said: You'll come around eventually. We'll speak again soon, mate. Have fun at this club..."

Suddenly, Mason reaches behind his back and pulls out a cannister. He pulls off the pin, before tossing it towards Hachiman. Recognizing it as a flashbang, the assassin dives towards one of the lockers and covers his ears, as a white flash of light explodes out.

While Hikigaya is disorientated, Mason elegantly climbs out the window and disappears into the street.

* * *

 **Yukinoshita's Apartment – 20:01**

"Hi Hiratsuka-sensei!" Yuigahama greets cheerfully, as she enters the apartment holding two grocery bags on either arm.

"Good evening, Yuigahama." The teacher responds, sitting on the couch.

Yukinoshita shuts the door behind her friend, before walking over to a recliner and sitting down. The lounge is arranged with the television up against the wall, a coffee table in front of it, and a couch in front of the table. On both the right and left side of the couch - is a comfy recliner chair, angled slightly to the side.

With Shizuka on the couch, Yui goes for the recliner on the left, while Yukino sits on the right one.

"What's in there, Yui?" The wealthy-girl asks curiously, as she crosses her legs.

Yuigahama smiles widely, then reaches into one of the bags that have now been set down by her feet. She proceeds to pull out a large packet of Salt and Vinegar chips, along with a two litre Sprite.

Yukinoshita doesn't even try to hide her irritation.

"Why did you bring that?"

"I thought since all three of us were going to be here, it could be like a little party!"

"We're not here for a party, you need to study."

"We can study later though..." Yui says pouting.

"Are your books in the other bag?"

"Nope! Just more chips!"

"So you didn't bring your books at all?"

Yuigahama smiles guiltily. As she does this, Hiratsuka leans over the couch.

"Hey pass me the chips, please."

The young girl does so, causing Shizuka to lick her lips excitedly.

"This is not a time for chips." Yukino says sternly. "Yui needs to study... You can borrow my books."

"She can study after she eats chips." The teacher says, as she pulls apart the bag.

"That's right!" Yuigahama confirms with a big smile!

* * *

 **Fight Club – 21:46**

As the flashbang begins to die down, Hikigaya stumbles back onto his feet with his ears ringing. He immediately runs over to the window, where he finds it wide open. After staring out of it for a moment, he unhappily walks over to the locker room door, opens it, then exits out onto the balcony, where he is once again greeted by flashing lights and club loud music.

To his left, he notices Rorona on the ground floor, speaking to two bouncers who are guarding the staircase.

"Listen - I know the fighter, I just want to speak to him."

"Sorry man, we get fangirls who say they 'know the fighter' every day. You can't go up to the locker rooms."

"But I actually know him!"

"What are you so desperate for? You gay or something?"

Rorona looks up in frustration.

"And what if I was gay? You got a problem with that?"

The bouncer blushes, before putting his hands forward apologetically.

"Nah man, I didn't mean anything by it. My best friend is gay!"

The other bouncer turns to him with a confused expression.

"I thought I was your best friend?"

Just then, Hikigaya strolls past the two men, paying no attention to their exchange. Rorona sighs in relief, as he and his partner begin walking side-by-side through the club.

"How are you doing? You fought like fifteen guys!"

"Forget that; someone just tried to kill me."

"Yeah well - what's new Scooby-Doo?"

Hachiman looks at him with a serious expression.

"This isn't a joke, Komanda sent him. The guy who attacked me in the locker rooms has Hiratsuka's location, but won't make any moves right now."

"Why do you say that like he's alive?"

"He tossed a flashbang at me before I could do anything. Something tells me he likes to take his time and play with his targets. We'll see him again..."

As they walk out of the crowd and to the bar, four men in suits come up in front of Hachiman and Rorona, raising their hands as if to say "stop".

"Hiroshi Maeue was impressed by your fights up in the ring. He'd like to speak with you in his office." One of them says with a blank expression.

Hikigaya nods, and they proceed to guide him and Rorona to the far-left side of the club, where five more guards can be seen standing in front of a gold-plated door. Upon the assassin's arrival - they separate slightly, while one of the men opens up the door to allow him in. Hachiman obliges and enters. Rorona tries to as well, but one of the guards stops him.

"Only your friend."

Rorona frowns and steps back, giving the man a disapproving look, as the door to the office is shut.

Inside of the office, Hikigaya sees the lieutenant sitting at a large wooden desk, in an expensive chair. There is a yellow carpet leading from the door to the desk, along with a large lamp hanging from the ceiling which brightly illuminates the room. It's quite a sharp contrast from the headache inducing flashing lights in the main part of the club.

The lieutenant strokes his well-groomed beard gently, as he sits comfortably in his chair. Hachiman stands with his hands behind his back, staring at the man.

"I saw your fights. They were quite impressive."

"Thanks." The assassin responds emotionlessly.

"A guy who fights as good as you do is hard to come by. Are you looking for work?"

As this question is asked, Hikigaya subtly reaches into his back pocket and enables the sound recorder application on his phone.

* * *

 **Yukinoshita's Apartment – 22:34**

After eating all the chips, Yukinoshita finally got Yuigahama to study for a bit using her books. While they didn't get as much done as the wealthy-girl would've liked, they still did something. When study time was over - Yuigahama took a shower, followed by Hiratsuka, and then lastly Yukinoshita. Before going to bed, they all sat down on the couch together, while each wearing a soft white robe.

"What's that?" Yui asks, pointing over to a small rectangular device on the coffee table.

"It's an electromagnetic pulse, or 'EMP' for short."

For the past ten minutes, Yui has been softly asking about all the stuff Yukino keeps in her home, while resting her head on her friend's shoulder. Hiratsuka has happened to fall asleep on the couch, and is half hanging off.

"Why do you have one?"

"I built it."

The two of them are basically whispering, as the cool air blows in from the open window.

"But why?"

Yukinoshita sighs.

"I don't know…"

"That's not true... You always do things for a reason."

There is a brief silence.

"I guess I just like building things."

"I like building things too; like Mega Bloks."

"Aren't Mega Bloks just the toddler version of LEGO?"

"I don't know, but they're fun..."

Yukino chuckles at her friend, before frowning and looking down at the floor.

"My uncle would build things with me, before he was murdered by Hikigaya."

"Don't say it like that…" Yui responds sadly.

"What do you mean?"

"Hikki isn't a bad guy, and even if he was - people can change."

"He's a professional killer, and my uncle's murderer. It's safe to say he's a bad person."

"But it was someone else who hired him to do bad things, right? So wouldn't they be to blame?"

Yukinoshita's gaze shifts from the floor to the blank television, as Yuigahama snuggles into her shoulder.

"What's that?" The young girl asks, pointing to another device on the coffee table and changing the subject.

* * *

 **Fight Club – 21:57**

"What do you mean by work?" Hikigaya asks, as his cellphone records the conversation.

"You know - work that's less than legal. Have you heard of the Five-Stars?"

"The Five-Stars? Like the criminal empire?"

"Yeah that one… I'm assuming that's why you're here… So if you never need a job; I'm your man."

"Maybe I do need a job... Maybe I also need to know exactly what that job is."

Hachiman tries to fish for information, while the older man smiles at him from behind the desk.

"How does assassination sound?"

That proposal takes him off-guard, given the type of "jobs" that Hiroshi should be offering are more along the lines of moving product, shake downs, and guarding storehouses.

Hikigaya raises an eyebrow at him, and tilts his head slightly.

"What's with that reaction?" The lieutenant asks, licking his lips. "Assassination is right up your alley. Isn't that right, Hachiman?"

Not a moment later, Hiroshi raises his right arm from under the desk, revealing that he is holding a shiny silver revolver. He aims it at Hachiman, then smiles wider than before.

"Mason gave me a call a few minutes ago; let me know you were here."

The assassin raises his arms in surrender.

"You got me."

There is a brief silence, as he stands at gunpoint.

"So what? Someone hire you to kill me, or you just trying to screw with your old boss?"

Hiroshi gets up from his chair and walks around Hikigaya to the door. As he reaches it, he knocks twice, then backs up. A moment later the door opens, and three of the guards waiting outside enter. Once again, Rorona tries to go in as well but is denied.

"Sorry buddy, like we said - The boss doesn't want any amateurs coming in."

Before he can say anything the door closes, but just before it is completely shut, Rorona notices the lieutenant holding the revolver. Back inside the room, the guards begin to surround Hikigaya with their guns raised, as Hiroshi returns to his chair.

"Mason told me to capture you, but I don't feel very giving at the moment." He says, before turning around to grab a glass of scotch sitting on the desk. "Someone shoot this kid in the head, then get rid of the body. Make sure it's never found."

One of the guards lines his sights up with Hachiman's temple and puts his finger on the trigger. However before he shoots, the door to the office suddenly breaks off of it's hinges and falls in, with the guard standing outside falling along with it.

It appears that Rorona kicked the man through the door, breaking the lock in the process.

"How's that for amateur?" He remarks cockily, as he looks down at the guard.

As this commotion goes on, Hikigaya reaches for one of the men's guns, and knees him in the stomach, then the face. He takes the weapon and fires it into the other two guards, then into the rest running in through the doorway. The lieutenant raises his revolver, but before he can do anything Hachiman clips in the shoulder, knocking the man over.

The guards writhe around on the floor, as they clutch their non-fatal wounds. Hachiman and Rorona look at each other, and then out the door. It seems that the loud music and cheering crowd focused on the current fight has the left the gunshots unheard. Rorona quickly kneels down and begins disarming the men. While he does this, the assassin walks over to Hiroshi and stands in front of him.

"You gonna kill me? Try it. You'll see what happens."

Hikigaya smiles, and looks down at the lieutenant.

"It's funny how many people make threats before they die; I guess they want to hold onto the last bit of power have. It never works. There's nothing you could say to me, no threat you could make, that could stop me from killing you."

Hiroshi stares up angrily, as his arm bleeds over the floor.

"Then get it over with."

Hachiman reaches behind his back and pulls out his phone.

"That's just it - I'm not here to kill you."

The phone recording begins to play, as he taps the screen.

"See, on top of being in charge of an illegal fight club - You ordered my execution. I imagine this'll be admissible in court."

The lieutenant looks down in defeat, as he listens to the audio.

"I know you have direct contact with Komanda, so I want you to make sure he gets this message: So long as he chases after me, or Hiratsuka, or anyone I know. I'll be coming for him, and no one can stop me."

With that, Hachiman turns around and begins walking away. While walking, he starts dialling a number. It rings for a few moments, before someone answers.

 _"Japanese Emergency Services. How may I help you?"_

"I'm currently standing in an illegal fight club, by my feet are several men who'll probably need an ambulance."

 _"Sir, what is your location?"_

"Trace the call." Hachiman suggests with a smile, as he drops the phone and gun onto the floor, then exits the room.

* * *

 **Friday - Abandoned Basment – 15:51**

"Just two days ago, a fight club hidden under the streets of the Chiba Prefecture was busted by local police. The club was discovered after an anonymous caller blew the whistle and alerted the authorities. Hiroshi Maeue - the man suspected to have run the club - is currently under investigation and is being held in a Detention Facility in Tokyo. At present, Detective Reo Touma is handling the case but has declined to comment. More news co-"

Rorona hits the spacebar on his laptop, pausing the YouTube video of the news recording.

"Looks like we did it." Hikigaya says with a smile, leaning back in his chair.

"Yeah we did. This is win for us and for Japan."

"I guess so…"

Rorona walks up to the whiteboard he has hung up and pulls off the first lieutenants picture, then drops it in a trash can.

"One down; four to go."

"Who's next?"

"I'm thinking we go after Mi-"

His sentence is cut off when the door to the basement opens and Yukinoshita walks in. Both Hikigaya and Rorona turn their heads and look at her, as she walks towards them holding a duffle bag.

Upon reaching the bed they're standing near, she drops the bag, and stares at the assassin.

"What are you doing here?" He asks candidly.

There is silence for several seconds.

"I need your help." Yukino answers with an annoyed expression.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Oh boyyyy... What could she want with 8man? You'll have to tune in next week to find out - unless of course you're reading this in the future and have decided to binge Match Point, in which case you could just read the next chap right now... God I wish that were me...

Anyway, here's the review we'll be responding to this week:

BlackPsych says "I really like the new cover, it's kind of funny. Yui's looking so happy and innocent while everyone else looks so serious and bewildered."

Yep, she's a beautiful ray of hope in the sometimes sad Match Point world. Let's hope her friends don't corrupt her too much.

See you all next week !


	37. Revenge - Part 1

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: 8man and Rorona bust the first of Komanda's lieutenants. As they move on to the next one, Yukino arrives at their hideout.

* * *

 **Friday - Abandoned Basment – 15:51**

Yukinoshita looks directly at Hikigaya, with an annoyed expression appearing on her face.

"I need your help."

Rorona raises an eyebrow, while leaning against the crate his laptop is placed on.

"What do you mean by that?" Hachiman asks curiously.

"There is something I want to do, but I can't do it alone. So I want you to help me."

The assassin folds his arms, as he sits down in his chair.

"And what exactly is it that you need help with?"

"A year and a half ago, a man named Gabriel Darabont hired you to kill my uncle. Simply put: I want to kill him."

"I thought you said you were over it."

Yukino scowls at him and scratches at her palms.

"Why the hell would I be over it? I told you _your_ life no longer interests me; I want justice. When you killed him it was business. Nothing more, nothing less. I want the root - I want the man who ordered the hit."

"I already gave you his name."

"Yeah you did, and recently: I got his location."

"So? If you want to kill him so bad, then do it. Why do you need me?"

"Darabont's currently residing in a heavily guarded mansion in Switzerland. He hasn't been seen out of his home for months now. So if I want to get to him, I'll need to break in. I can make plans, fund my trip, and even fight - but I lack experience. You're the only person I can think of who can provide immediate assistance."

There is a brief silence, as Hikigaya thinks about what she's saying.

"When we met on the top floor of that parking lot, you were with a woman."

"That was my sister. Sometimes I help her with jobs; usually simple things like breaking and entering, wire taps, reconnaissance. When we met - she was doing me a favour."

"Why don't you ask her to help you?"

"She's out of the country at the moment. I have no clue when she'll get back, and I want to do this _now_."

"So you want me to go with you to Switzerland, and help you kill some guy for revenge?"

She looks down to the side guiltily.

"It's not strictly revenge… It's justice… But yes, that's pretty much what I want."

Hachiman lets out a sigh and looks at Rorona, then back at Yukino.

"Alright, I have one more question."

"What?"

"Why would I help you?"

"Well, you owe me."

He smiles and raises an eyebrow.

"And why do I owe you?"

"I saved your life. If I hadn't fought against those men Komanda sent, then you'd be dead right now."

"The only reason you had to fight them, was because you hired someone to shoot me."

There is another brief silence, as they stare down at each other.

"So you won't help me? I'm not going to beg, so just tell me now."

Before Hikigaya can say anything, Rorona walks up to the two of them and raises his hand, trying to get their attention.

"Hey I think I have a solution to this problem; you're rich right?" He asks, turning to Yukinoshita.

She nods slightly, despite not really liking the blunt question.

"Well me and Hachiman are a bit low on funds right now, so how about if he agrees to help you - then you throw some money our way? Everyone wins!"

"You want her to pay for my services? I told you, I'm not for hire anymore."

Rorona raises his palms.

"No, no, no… Not like that. It's not like your old job. It's just, you know: Helping out a friend and getting money as well."

"We're not friends." Hikigaya and Yukinoshita say simultaneously.

"It's a win-win." Rorona responds, ignoring their comments.

Yukino looks around for a second, before beginning to nod.

"That deal seems fair, I'll give you some money if you help. Just no large sums, petty cash only."

Hachiman nods as well, then stands up from his chair.

"There's still something else to think about…"

"What?"

"If we're both out of the country, who's going to watch Hiratsuka?"

* * *

 **Yukinoshita's Apartment – 16:22**

Hikigaya and Rorona stand behind Yukinoshita, as she unlocks the door to her apartment. It only takes a moment, and she is soon entering into the lounge. Rorona follows behind, while Hachiman opts to stay in the doorway with his bag, seeing no reason for him to go in.

"My bedroom is to the right; you may not go in there." Yukino says, as she gives the older man a quick tour. "The TV in the living room has all the news channels, so you can use those for entertainment."

"Yeah, sounds like a party…" Rorona remarks, looking around.

"There is one guest bedroom where Hiratsuka keeps her stuff. She usually falls asleep watching TV on the couch though. Since you're staying here, you will sleep on the couch and she'll stay in her room."

Just then, the door to said room opens, and Shizuka walks out wearing jeans and a dark-brown shirt.

"What's up Yuki-"

The teacher's sentence ends abruptly, when she notices Rorona standing in the lounge.

"Hi Hiratsuka." He greets, waving his hand slightly.

She smiles respectfully, before looking over at Yukinoshita.

"What's he doing here?"

"I'm going on a trip for a few days, Rorona will be staying here to supervise you while I'm gone."

"Wait, what do you mean you're going on a trip?"

"It's personal. I'd rather not speak about."

Hiratsuka frowns at her student's secrecy, then looks back at Rorona.

"And you trust me to be alone with this man?"

"If he tried anything, I'd snap him like a twig."

Rorona chuckles at the idea, though feeling she isn't at all joking.

"Damn..."

There is a brief silence, before the teacher speaks again.

"When are you leaving?"

"In a few hours. I want to be back by Monday, so as to not miss any school."

"Where exactly are you going?"

Yukino hesitates to answer, not wanting to give away any more information than necessary.

"Europe."

"And you won't tell me why you're going, no matter what?"

"That's right."

Shizuka shakes her head disapprovingly.

"Well at least bring back a postcard."

"Of course."

A moment later, Hiratsuka walks up to Yukinoshita and gives her a big hug. As she does this, she turns her to the side and notices Hikigaya in the doorway. They make eye-contact for a moment, before both looking away.

"What's he doing here?" She whispers, pulling back from the hug.

"Hikigaya will be accompanying me."

Her eyes-widen and she puts her hands on her hips.

"Is that safe?"

"Potentially not, but it is necessary."

Shizuka and Hachiman make eye-contact again, this time neither look away. This goes on for a few seconds, making Yukino and Rorona feel a bit awkward.

"If you have something to say, then say it." The wealthy-girl remarks, as she backs up slightly.

Shaking her head, Hiratsuka turns around and walks over to the kitchen.

Rorona looks at her and then his partner, before chuckling and going to sit down on the couch.

* * *

 **Narita International Airport – 18:31**

The airfield is massive, housing two four-thousand-metre-long runways and three large terminals. A bird's eye view would allow you to see several airliners parked, along with one taking off. On the ground of the airfield is a limousine driving toward a hanger on the far end. Inside of the vehicle is Hikigaya and Yukinoshita sitting next to each other, not saying a word.

It doesn't take long for the limo to arrive at its destination, and the two Sobu High School students are soon out the car and walking into the hanger towards a shiny black jet. The black paint is nicely contrasted by a white outline along the sides and edges.

"You have a private plane?" Hachiman asks in slight disbelief, as he looks up at the vehicle.

"Don't be ridiculous. It's my fathers, and he rents it for business."

Behind them - the driver of the limousine follows, while carrying their two bags.

"And is it you who's going to fly this plane?"

Yukinoshita looks at Hikigaya like he's an idiot, then turns to the driver.

"No, Hiro will be our pilot. He's worked with my father for many, many years."

Hiro smiles at her. Currently, he is wearing a black suit and tie with his hair slicked back. He looks between forty to fifty years old, with greying stubble on his face.

After a minute or two of walking, they arrive at the side of the small plane. The white outline of a door leads to a small handle. Under the handle is a lock, which Hiro promptly inserts a key into.

It doesn't take long for the three of them to get inside and take off.

The inside of the jet looks quite high end, with cool daylight lights illuminating the interior, a soft carpeted floor, and acrylic chairs. Next to the chairs are small rotatable-tables, with a mini-fridge in one corner. The windows offer a clear view of the stars in the night sky.

"Would you like something to drink?" Yukinoshita asks emotionlessly, as she stares at the assassin.

Currently they are both sitting by the windows, facing each other. Their seats are placed about a metre apart, with a small table in the middle.

"Do you have any coffee?" Hikigaya responds, resting his left hand on the arm rest.

"No."

There is a brief silence, before Hachiman suspiciously raises his eyebrow.

"You didn't even check the fridge, so how do you know?"

An annoyed expression appears on Yukino's face.

"I had the fridge stocked yesterday. Every drink inside was handpicked by me."

"Okay… So which drinks did you pick?"

"Still water."

"And?"

"Sparkling water."

"Those aren't drinks, they're just water."

"Almost all drinks have water in them. Why not go straight to the source?"

"Where's the fun in that?"

She rolls her eyes and looks out the window.

"It's not about fun."

There is another brief silence.

"You should loosen up more. It's like you're constantly on edge."

"Well I'm sitting with a murderer, so that should be expected."

"Don't forget why we're in this plane. You'll be no different from my by end of the weekend."

"You've taken peoples lives for money. That's disgusting. What I want is justice. This man deserves to die; there's a difference."

"Not as much as you think…"

Yukinoshita stands up and walks over to a chair further down the interior.

"It's going to be a twelve-hour flight, so get some sleep." She suggests, as she sits down and reclines backwards.

Hikigaya takes her advice and shuts his eyes. Before he drifts off, he thinks about his time at Sobu High School and his time with Hiratsuka.

* * *

 **Yukinoshita's Apartment – 19:10**

Rorona slaps his knee and leans back against the couch cushions, as he laughs hysterically. Next to him is Hiratsuka, who is laughing equally as hard.

The two of them are currently watching an episode of Takeshi's Castle, a Japanese game show where normal people will do insane stunts and parkour. These people usually fail and are left falling over, getting hit in the head, or sliding off of obstacles. The contestants who get through all the stages get to have a vehicular fight with Takeshi himself, and if they win - they receive one million yen.

As expected, Shizuka and Rorona love the show due to it's slapstick nature.

In between them is a large glass bowl of microwavable popcorn. The teacher reaches her hand inside and grabs a chunk, then raises the food up to her mouth and takes a large bite. Some crumbs spill over he lap, but she pays little attention to the mess.

Eventually the episode comes to an end, as does their raucous laughter.

"Wow, that was incredible." Hiratsuka says, holding her sides from the pain of laughing so much.

"Yeah, damn…" Rorona responds, wiping away a tear.

There is a brief silence, before he turns his head towards her, while still lying back.

"Hey you don't have any beer, do you?"

She lays back as well, then looks at him.

"No… Yukino said she wouldn't allow it in her home."

"Awh…"

There is another silence, as the two of them sit on the couch staring at the television play some random show.

"Hachiman would kill at Takeshi's Castle though; you haven't seen him fight have you?"

As he asks this, Shizuka frowns and let's out a sigh.

"Oh shit, is that a sore subject for you?"

"Not at all…"

He runs his hands through his hair and nods.

"Yeah well, I'd understand if it was. Being lied to is pretty shitty."

"You know I really don't want to speak about this." Hiratsuka says with a fake smile, before standing up and wiping the creases off of her top.

Rorona watches as she walks away, feeling bad for mentioning it.

* * *

 **GAIA Hotel - Basel, Switzerland – 07:11**

Hikigaya and Yukinoshita stand on the street, looking at the large building in front of them.

The GAIA Hotel is situated in between two intersecting streets, with it's entrance on the wide street corner. The outside walls are white, and the long rectangular windows that decorate each side are all sitting neatly next to each other, with a cross-shaped frame in the middle. Some of the windows have a balcony, while others simply sit flat against the wall. The door into the hotel is made of oak wood, and has two well-trimmed bushes placed next to it.

Around the building, several trees can be seen along the pavement. Beside the trees are cars parked bumper to bumper.

As they enter the hotel, Hachiman and Yukino are greeted with a nice lavender smell, along with different people sitting on the couches placed in the lobby. After a short walk, they arrive at the front desk, where they find a young blonde lady sitting with a big smile. Her hair is tied back, and she has white dress shirt under a sweater-vest.

"Hello, how may I help you today?" The lady greets with a mix of Norwegian and German in her accent.

"We'd like a room." Yukinoshita says with a small smile, before placing a debit card on the table.

"Oh yes, of course…"

The lady begins typing something into the computer, before frowning.

"Unfortunately, there is a conference taking place here in Basel, which means all our standard rooms have been taken. All that's left are a few 'Honeymoon Suites'… Would that be okay?"

Yukino looks at the assassin for a second, before groaning and nodding.

"Just one moment please…"

The lady promptly types something else in her computer. After that she grabs the card machine, and places it on the counter. Yukinoshita inserts her card into the slot, then types in her pin. She not-so-subtly cups her hand over the machine to make sure Hikigaya doesn't see, just on principal. When that's done, the lady reaches into a draw and hands the wealthy-girl her key. On the key there is a number, listing their room.

"Hey, how you doing pretty?" A guy leaning against the counter says, looking over at Yukino.

She turns to him for a moment, before shaking her head and heading past him. Hachiman follows, though as he walks past the man - he notices a small plastic bag sticking out of the guy's back pocket.

The two of them waste no time, and quickly take the elevator up to their floor. They then unlock the door to their room and walk in.

Upon entering, the first thing they notice is the heart-shaped bed right in the middle of the room. It has a silky red cover, along with rose petals. Next to the bed is a small cabinet, with a wine bottle in a bucket of ice. Above the bed and on the roof is a large mirror. Yukino recoils in disgust when she sees this. Hachiman simply sighs.

After shutting the door, they walk up to the bed and stand on either side. They then both put their bags down and pull on the zippers. Instead of clothes, hairbrushes, toiletries, etc. The bags are filled with combat gear, knives, small guns, and also a toothbrush each.

"I'll take the bed. You can sleep on the floor." Hikigaya says with a smile.

"No way; I believe the bathtub should accommodate you finely. Perhaps it'll wash away your filth." Yukinoshita responds, as she looks up from her bag.

The two of them stare at each other intensely, before Hachiman speaks.

"How about we play rock, paper, scissors for it?"

"Do I look like a child to you? I payed for the flight and the hotel. This bed is mine."

The assassin reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone to check the time.

"It's only seven thirty, so we can discuss it later. Right now, we should begin preparing."

Yukino nods and heads towards the door. Hachiman puts his phone back, then follows behind her.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** A Yukino/8man adventure? Surely this can only end well ;) See you next week...


	38. Revenge - Part 2

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: 8man and Yukino fly to Switzerland, while back in Chiba Rorona watches over Shizuka.

* * *

 **Saturday - Basel Streets – 07:45**

Hikigaya and Yukinoshita head out of the hotel, walking side-by-side. The street outside is filled with quite a few cars driving around, though not enough to cause traffic. The pavement is similarly busy, with people from around the world walking about.

"So, where is this mansion?" Hachiman asks bluntly, as they stand in front of the oncoming cars.

Yukino looks at him with an annoyed expression.

"What's that supposed to mean? We can't just break-in right during broad daylight. Plus, our gear is still in the hotel room."

"I'm just asking where it is. Are you planning to have us _walk_ there?"

She looks at the ground, as some people stroll past them.

"No, I thought we could use a rental car to get around. That's what Haruno and I have done in the past."

"And was she the one who rented the rental-car?"

"Yes, why?"

Hikigaya looks at her.

"I'm assuming you don't have a driver's license?"

"No…"

"Then they won't give us a car... Guess you didn't really think this through."

"I may have missed some minor details, but I have almost everything else figured out."

"I wouldn't say that transport is a minor detail." He responds with a chuckle.

"Stop being snarky and find us a vehicle. I asked you to come with for help, now help."

The assassin sighs and begins scanning the area. A minivan parked in between two buildings with someone leaning against the back catches his attention.

"There."

He raises his hand and points over at the car.

Yukinoshita looks at it with a confused expression.

"There? There what?"

"Just follow my lead."

Without hesitation, Hachiman heads across the street and over to the alley way. Yukino follows behind him, curious to see what he's planning. As they get closer, she notices that the guy leaning against his car is the same guy who harassed her in the hotel earlier.

"Hey." Hikigaya greets, getting the man's attention.

"Hi..." He responds, looking up from his phone.

"What's your name?"

"Uhh... It's Clyde..."

"You selling weed?"

Yukinoshita eyes widen, and she turns to the assassin with a shocked expression.

"No…" Clyde answers defensively. "Are you a cop?"

"Do I look like a cop?" Hikigaya retorts.

The man thinks about it for a moment, before nodding.

"Can't argue with that. You looking to buy some?"

Hikigaya nods, then pulls some money out of his back pocket and holds it up in clear view.

"I got you man." Clyde says with a smile, before taking out his keys and opening up the trunk of his car. Inside the trunk, several bags of marijuana can be seen next to a few pairs of shoes.

"Anything specifically you want?" He asks, leaning into his car to grab one of the bags.

Currently, his back is to Yukinoshita and Hikigaya, who are standing about a metre away.

"Just… Regular weed." Hachiman answers with a frown.

Clyde backs out of the trunk and turns around holding the bag.

"Damn bro, the way you phrase that makes it sound like you've never smoked be-"

Before he can finish his sentence, Hikigaya uppercuts the man, knocking him out in one hit. Clyde's unconscious body falls over against the car, then slides over onto the ground.

"What was that for? Are you insane?!" Yukinoshita asks angrily, as she looks at the drug dealer - then the assassin.

"Well, now we have a car." He responds nonchalantly, kneeling down and picking up the body.

Hikigaya then proceeds to place the unconscious man inside the trunk by the marijuana, before shutting it. The keys jingle softly, as Hachiman dangles them in front of Yukino's face. A moment later he drops them in her hand, then walks over to the passenger side door.

"You can drive. You do know how to, right?"

She looks at him disapprovingly, before taking a deep breath heading to the other side.

* * *

 **Yukinoshita's Apartment – 16:10**

Hiratsuka sits on the couch with her right foot on the edge of the coffee table. Her knee is bent, and her chest is leaning against her thigh. Right now, she is painting her toenails.

As soon as she gets the last one done, the teacher stands up walks over to the bathroom. Her walk is rather awkward though, considering she moves her feet with her toes pointed upwards, hoping the polish will dry quicker.

Upon reaching the bathroom, she walks in and shuts the door behind her. She then proceeds to remove several items from her makeup bag and begins applying them to her face. After getting the base done, Shizuka puts on some eyeliner and eyeshadow. Lipstick follows, and soon her entire face is spotless.

The teacher quickly puts away all her products, then heads to the bedroom where all her clothes are. In one of the cupboards she finds a black dress she's been saving. The dress goes to just below her knees and has patterns around the seams. The patterns follow a rose and dove combination, and make the dress rather pretty.

Once she changes clothes, she puts on some black shoes and grabs her purse. Hiratsuka then exits the bedroom and walks to the front door. To her dismay, when she reaches out to open it she realizes the door is locked - with the key no where to be found.

"What are you doing?" Rorona asks, as walks out from the kitchen holding a bag of chips.

"I'm going out." Shizuka answers, pulling the handle again despite knowing it's still locked.

"Umm… No you're not. Yukinoshita told me you have to stay here no matter what. It's for your protection."

"Screw protection!" She says with an annoyed tone. "I am sick of being stuck here and at school. It's time I go out and have some fun."

He looks at her and raises an eyebrow.

"So you're… Going to a club?"

"Hell no! I'm going to a bar to get wasted and take my mind off all the shit that's happened lately."

"Well, I can't just let you leave."

Hiratsuka frowns, and puts her hands on her hips.

"If you don't give me the key to this door, then I'll call the police."

Rorona chuckles loudly.

"And tell them what? 'Oh I'm a prisoner in a teenage girl's apartment, just ask my ex-student - the trained killer.' They'll hang up on you."

"Well… "

She scratches the back of her head, thinking.

"There's no way you want to be here either! Let's go have some fun! Yukino will never even know!"

"It's dangerous."

"No it's not... Come on..."

He frowns, considering the proposal.

* * *

 **Basel City – 08:39**

Yukinoshita presses her foot against the car breaks, stopping the vehicle across the street from a large mansion. Hikigaya leans back in his seat, eyeing the said mansion.

The walls surrounding the property are tall, and have electrical fencing icing the tops. A wide drive-way connected to the street leads to a gate that has a two security guards out front. The inside of this property has two tennis courts off to the right, a hot tub, fountain, swimming pool to the left, and a massive walkway in the middle. Neatly trimmed bushes and shrubs have been placed along the pathways through the property, giving the white concrete a nice contrast. The mansion itself is several stories high, and is built in a 'C' shape around the walkway.

The two of them watch as a bright red Ferrari drives up to the gate, waits for it to open, then heads in.

"This is the place." Yukino says with a determined look on her face.

Hachiman looks around at the guards, then at some people walking by.

"Those two security guards by the gate seem quite strange... You'd think that the owner would hire men to patrol the perimeter from the outside at all times. So I'm guessing they aren't alone, right?"

The wealthy-girl nods, then points to a woman walking her dog.

"The civilians surrounding this area are also part of the security team. They were hired to hide in plain sight."

"I figured as much, but how do you know for sure?"

"I know everything about this man and his life. When you gave me his name, I looked into his bank history, emails, phone calls, everything."

"So then despite there being a lot of security, you also know a way in?"

"That's right." She responds, looking up at one of the walls. "We can't break in the traditional way. The security would stop us immediately. Even if we disposed of them all, the walls are all wired with sensors. Touching a certain area above a few metres would set off an alarm. Once the alarm goes off, four police cruisers will be here in under a minute."

"How do you know?" Hachiman asks curiously.

"What?"

"How do you know _that_ specifically."

"You don't trust my information?"

"I want to hear for myself."

Yukino sighs and clenches her fist.

"A few weeks ago when I was planning this, the first thing I needed to know was what'd happen if I tripped the alarm, so I wired money to some teenager I found on the internet. I told him to throw a soccer ball over the wall and then pretend like he was climbing over to go get it. When he tripped the alarm, the police arrived one minute later."

Hikigaya nods.

"Okay, continue."

"Because of the alarm and quick response time, we'll need to get in through one of the gates. That is the most difficult part. The guard on the right keeps a list of everyone who is supposed to enter the property on a specific day, and only three parties enter: The catering service, musical entertainment, and the owners wife. The maid's live on the property and rarely leave."

She looks over at the guard who keeps the list.

"The catering service arrives in the morning and is always the same few people. The musical entertainment however, changes every couple of days and only enters the property in the evening. All we need to do is intercept whatever band of musicians is planning on coming later tonight, and pretend to be them."

"And after that?"

"After that we walk in, and I kill Gabriel Darabont."

"Sounds like a plan."

* * *

 **Yukinoshita's Apartment Building – 16:21**

"This plan is awful!" Rorona warns, as he and Hiratsuka step out of the elevator and into the lobby.

"Don't be such a Debbie Downer. We'll go out for a few hours, have some drinks, then come back. What Yukino doesn't know won't hurt her."

The two of them walk side-by-side through the revolving glass doors, then out of the building and onto the street. It's still a bit light outside, but the sun is disappearing rather quickly, considering it's still Winter.

"It's not about Yukinoshita, it's about your safety. We're trying to protect you."

"Well I didn't ask to be protected…" The teacher responds, raising her right arm in the air and waving down one of the passing taxis.

"Don't be like that."

Shizuka turns to Rorona and looks at him with an annoyed expression.

"Don't be like what? My life was fine a few months ago. I went to work, I had dates, everything was normal. Then men come to kill me, and my student tells me he's a murderer. Suddenly I cant go home or be left alone. I'm sick of it."

Rorona frowns at her, as a taxi pulls up next to them.

"Fair enough." He says, opening the vehicle's back door and motioning for her to get in.

Hiratsuka does just that, and promptly sits down on the left side. Rorona follows her in and takes a seat to the right. Her purse neatly boarders the area between them.

"Where to?" The driver asks, looking at the two of them through the rear-view mirror.

"Mayoi Bar." She responds with a smile.

Right before the taxi drives off - a photo snaps. In another car across the street from the apartment building, Detective Reo Touma sits in the driver's seat with a 400mm lens on a camera. He has been taking photos of Rorona and Hiratsuka since they left the building, and he is currently preparing to follow the taxi to wherever they plan to go.

* * *

 **Basel City – 10:21**

A white van with musical notes painted on the side sits parked next to a small building. The building is situated in between two stores: A large Spar Supermarket and a clothing retailer. The building itself has musical notes painted on it's walls similarly to the van, along with two large glass doors offering a glimpse into what goes inside.

Two people – one holding a cello case and one holding a guitar case – exit the building and head over to the back doors of the van. After loading the instruments inside, they shut the doors and return to the building.

"These are the guys scheduled for tonight." Yukinoshita says, as she looks over at the two people.

"Are you sure?" Hikigaya responds, turning to her.

"Yes; my targets debit card transactions confirm it."

"Okay, so all we need to do is make sure they don't show up?"

"That's right. I have forged the required documentation to relieve them of their duties."

"Then let's go."

The two of them get out of the car, and head across the street past the van and into the building. The interior is rather plain, with a white tiled floor and light grey walls. In one corner - a small stage can be seen with some musical instruments placed on top. The instruments include a drum set, guitar, xylophone, and trumpet.

A young man wearing a black t-shirt with a white musical note the front stands by the xylophone, rubbing it with a cloth. As he wipes the instrument down, he looks up and notices Hikigaya and Yukinoshita walk in. The man promptly jogs over to them. On the shirt is a small nametag that says Fabio.

"Hey what's up? Are you guys looking for music lessons or do you need performers?"

"No..." Yukino responds, as she puts the document up to the man's eye level. "Last week your musicians were hired to come to the Gabriel Darabont estate tonight and perform."

"Umm… Yeah…" Fabio says, raising an eyebrow.

"I'd like to inform you that your services are no longer required. Here is the document relieving you."

She shakes the paper gently.

"You guys paid us upfront, I'm afraid we won't be able to provide refund…"

Hachiman looks around, as he stands silently next to Yukino.

"That won't be necessary. We just ask that you don't show up tonight."

Fabio frowns and takes a closer look at the document.

"I don't know about this… You're not the woman I spoke to last week. Maybe I should call the number she gave me."

"Are you sure that's what you want to do?" Yukinoshita responds, offering him a frustrated smile.

"Yeah…" Fabio answers, as he backs up and pulls out his cell phone.

Yukino quickly reaches into her pocket and pulls out her phone as well, opening a custom application. The man's phone rings for a moment, before she speaks again.

"Your name is Fabio Kalin. You're twenty-six years old and have a wife of the same age. You two currently have a two-year-old daughter and another child on the way."

He looks at her with wide eyes.

"H-How you do you know that?"

"I know that Fabio, because I just logged into your bank account and took a look at your transactions."

She faces the screen towards him and smiles.

"As of one second ago, every penny you had in your name disappeared and was put into a bank account run by a fake organization said to be bringing education to Somali orphans."

"Wh-what?!"

"Now I could put all that money back into your account, or I could make it evaporate. So tell me Fabio, who do you really want to speak to? Me? Or the person on that phone?"

Just then, the ringing stops and Gabriel Darabont's wife answers the call.

" _Hello?"_

Fabio immediately hits the red button, then returns the device to his pocket and raises his hands in surrender.

"I'll give you anything you want! Please, just leave my money alone…"

Yukino and Hachiman look at each other and smile victoriously.

Ten minutes later, the two of them exit the building wearing different clothes. Hikigaya now has a black blazer and tie on over a white dress shirt, while Yukinoshita has changed into a black skirt and sweater vest on. These are the uniforms Fabio's musicians would've worn to the mansion, however they have been called off, and Hikigaya and Yukinoshita will be going in their place.

The two of them walk over to the white van and get inside the two front seats, before heading back to the hotel to arm up.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** People seemed to enjoy the "I'll take the bed" line from last weeks chapter, which I find funny. Anyway, Oregairu season 3 got confirmed, so get excited for that! Until then, chapter 39 will be up next week.


	39. Revenge - Part 3

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: 8man and Yukino finish up their preparations in Switzerland, while Rorona and Shizuka head out to a bar - followed by Detective Touma.

* * *

 **Saturday - Darabont Manor – 21:59**

A white van with musical notes painted on the side pulls up to the gate of the mansion. In the front of the van is Hikigaya and Yukinoshita, while in the back are a bunch of cases for musical instruments.

"Sign here." One of the security guards says, as he walks up to the driver's side window. "You're the entertainment, right?"

Hachiman nods, taking the pen and signing his name. After that he hands the guard a piece of paper, confirming their identities.

The sky is dark, with barely a half moon showing. Most people are out or have gone to bed by now, leaving everything on the street quiet. The two guards by the gate are wearing a black suit and tie combination, and each have a white ear piece connected to the right side of their heads.

After taking the document, the guard dealing with the van steps back and clicks a button on a small remote he keeps in his pocket.

A moment later the gate begins to electronically slide to the right, clearing the way into the manor. Hikigaya gently presses his foot against one of the pedals, driving the vehicle inside.

Now through the gate, they head down the concrete pathway towards the actual house. The drive is short, and soon Hikigaya and Yukinoshita come across two cars parked next to a fountain: A silver Porsche and red Ferrari.

After parking the van behind the Ferrari, the two of them get out and head to the vehicles back doors. They promptly open them, then grab a case each. Yukino takes a violin case, while Hachiman grabs the one and only saxophone case. They quickly sling the case straps over their shoulders, then head toward the brightly lit mansion.

As they come up on the door step, they each take a balaclava out their pockets, before sliding the masks over their heads, hiding their true faces.

"Alright, follow the plan." The wealthy-girl says, looking at her partner.

Hikigaya nods, then pulls out a small rectangular black device with a button at the top and some wires coming out of the side.

 _ **KNOCK**_

 _ **KNOCK**_

Following the knocks, the front door opens and a guard walks out into the doorway, looking at the two masked people on the porch.

"What the he-"

Before he can react, Yukino takes the violin case and swings it at his head, knocking the man out. She proceeds to step over his unconscious body and into the mansion. Without hesitating, Hachiman clicks the button on the device. All the lights on the property to turn off for a few seconds, before flickering, then coming back on.

As he does this, Yukinoshita unzips the case while walking towards the large staircase in the middle of the interior. After opening it up, she pulls out a silenced submachine gun, then throws the case to the side. From another room, a guard walks in and sees her. He quickly fumbles for his gun, prompting Yukino to fire several shots at his legs, incapacitating him.

"We've got intruders in the house!" The guard says, pressing the button on his earpiece. "Hello? Can anyone here me?"

Just then, Hikigaya walks in holding a silenced M16.

"The communications jammer is working." Yukinoshita says, looking over at him.

"We need to hurry." He responds, jogging up to her.

"Let's head to the master bedroom, Darabont should be there."

The two of them quickly make their way through the mansion, dealing with whatever guards they find. After a short search, they arrive outside the doors of their desired room. The assassin gives it a hard kick, breaking the lock. He then pushes the door open and walks in. Yukino follows behind him, with her gun raised.

"Oh my god!" A woman looking about forty to fifty yells out, raising her hands.

The woman is sitting in the large bed, wearing a nightgown.

"Please don't hurt me!"

"Where is Gabriel Darabont?" Yukinoshita asks angrily, as she closes the distance between them.

"Please I'm begging you! Just take what you want!"

"The only thing I want is your husband, so tell me: Where is he?!"

With that, she grabs the woman by the hair and pulls her out of the bed, holding the gun up with her other hand.

* * *

 **Mayoi Bar – 17:05**

Hiratsuka opens up the front doors and strolls happily into the bar. Rorona follows behind her, looking around warily. It doesn't take long for the two of them to find a seat, and they are soon sitting right at the bar counter, near the wall.

The bar is quite nice, with a dark interior lit up only by a few yellow and green lamps placed on the tables and walls. It's not too full of people either, offering a nice calm atmosphere.

"Can I get a Dry Martini?" Shizuka requests, waving her hand at the bartender.

"I'll have a Rum with Coke…" Rorona adds with a frown.

The teacher laughs loudly and turns to him.

"Rum with a Coke? What are you? Some kind of lightweight? Get a real drink."

"I can't drink too much. I'm the designated driver, so to speak."

"But we came here in a taxi…"

Rorona sighs.

"I mean I need to stay focused."

"Oh yeah… Because everyone in the world wants me dead or something, right?"

The bartender places their drinks in front of them, then walks away to serve another patron by the counter.

"Blame Hachiman, not me."

As he finishes his sentence, Hiratsuka grabs her Martini and downs it in one gulp.

"Screw Hachiman." She says bitterly, before wiping her mouth with her wrist.

"Well, you say that... But he's doing his best."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that while you complain about everything, he's trying to save your life."

"He's the reason my life is in danger in the first place... Anyway, I don't want to speak about it."

Rorona smiles and shakes his head.

"Yeah you've said that before; but maybe you should speak about it."

"Why?"

"Because whenever he comes up you act like a salty high school girl."

Shizuka scoffs and gazes up at the ceiling. A moment later she looks back at him, and grins.

"Okay, buy me a drink and I'll speak."

"Does it look like I've got cash to unload on you?" Rorona responds sarcastically.

"I'll pay you back... It's just that ordering drinks is undignified for a lady of my stature, so you can do it."

He looks at her then at her empty glass, before raising his hand and waving down the bartender.

"Get her another a Martini."

* * *

 **Darabont Manor – 22:11**

"You should've told me you were just here for my husband, Doll." The lady says with a chuckle, as Yukinoshita holds the barrel of the submachine gun to her back.

The two of them are currently walking down one of the long-carpeted mansion hallways, with Hikigaya trailing close behind.

"You don't care if he dies?" Yukino responds with a confused expression on her masked face.

"Hell no, I'd pull the plug on him myself if I was able to collect."

The lady speaks with a New York accent, and has two clearly silicone breasts on her chest. Her face also appears to have gone through plastic surgery several times.

"What do you mean by pull the plug?"

Just then, she comes to a stop outside a door. The woman knocks twice, before someone on the other end opens it. A guard walks out, startling Yukino.

 _ **PSEW**_

Hachiman quickly sends a bullet flying into his leg, dropping the guard to ground as he yells in pain.

"What was that?" Yukinoshita asks angrily, pointing her gun at the lady's face.

"Calm down, Doll. My husbands in there."

Stepping over the man, Hikigaya walks into the room to check it out. As he does this, he sees something he was not expecting.

"Uhh… You should come in here."

Yukinoshita looks over at him through the doorway, before entering herself.

"Oh my god…"

Like the woman said, her husband is in the room. He is also lying in a hospital bed connected to life support, with a heart monitor to his left.

"Gabe got hit by a car a couple months ago. It was some freak accident. He's been like this ever since." The lady says, as she strolls in.

Yukino walks up to the side of the bed, and looks down at her uncle's killer.

"B-But… I need to speak to him."

"No chance." She responds laughing. "He's completely unresponsive. This guy made me get all this shit done to my body, then he just goes cold turkey. Now I have to wait for him to deteriorate so I can collect on the life insurance."

"He needs to know what he did to me… I-I… I can't just kill someone like this." Yukinoshita says, ignoring the wife.

The assassin sighs and stares at the comatose Gabriel.

"You need to make a decision quick, we can't wait around here too long." He states, walking up next to his partner.

There are a few seconds of silence, as Yukino looks down in disbelief.

"What am I supposed to do? I wanted to see him beg..."

Yukinoshita's eyes begin to get a wet, and a tear falls down her cheek. She feels a pit in her stomach and her mind goes blank.

"All this effort for n-nothing."

From down the hallway, the faint sound of yelling becomes more and more apparent.

"The intruders are down there! Block the exits."

"They're coming." Hikigaya warns again, before placing his hand on her shoulder. "I get that you're angry, but I doubt you have the resources to keep us out of jail. We need to move!"

She slaps his hand off her shoulder and takes a deep breath. Yukino clenches her fist, then slowly walks past the bed and towards the exit. As she stands in the doorway, she bangs her fist angrily against the wall, before looking over her shoulder at the assassin.

"Let's just go..." She says, as her voice cracks.

* * *

 **Mayoi Bar – 18:10**

"And so I was pretty much freezing cold up in that Ferris wheel, but he didn't even show one ounce of sympathy! Can you believe that?"

Hiratsuka downs another drink and sways back and forth while chuckling. Next to her, Rorona takes a sip of beer, before laughing as well.

"Did you know that Hachiman actually shot me in my damn leg? That's how we met!" He explains, before taking another sip.

"He's insane!"

"You're right! Hachiman is insane."

The two of them lean in closer as they laugh, pressing their shoulders together and using each other as support so as to not fall off their respective stools.

"Say it with me!" The teacher yells out, trying to contain her giggles. "Hachiman is a crazy person!"

"Hachiman is a crazy person!"

From one of the tables, a patron gets sick of their yelling.

"Hey, shut the hell up!"

For the most part this works, and Rorona and Shizuka quiet down, finishing their drinks and taking a moment.

"He ruined my life…" She says after a brief silence, putting her empty glass down on the counter.

"Did he though? I mean you seem to be having a pretty good time right now." Rorona remarks, looking over at her.

Hiratsuka grins at him, then sighs.

"All day long, all I can think about is him, and how he played me for a fool."

"But surely all of your students lie to you about something."

"Well, that something usually isn't so important."

"Oh come on… You're telling me you've only ever taught one world class assassin? No way!"

After a few giggles, she puts her arm around Rorona, then rests her head on his shoulder.

"It's more than that, you know. I thought Hachiman and I had some sort of… Connection."

"You thought you had a connection?" Rorona repeats, holding back drunken laughter.

"It just always felt like we were on the same wavelength. Like we could be friends – proper friends."

"But you can be friends! He and I are. Even if he is a dick occasionally."

"We don't even speak anymore… And I don't want to speak to him. Now he's off with Yukino doing god-knows-what… It's just a mess."

"If you want to speak to him, just do it! Let out all your inhibitions."

She looks at the empty glasses and smiles slightly, before biting her lip and nodding.

"Maybe it's time we head back." Hiratsuka suggests, as she hobbles off the stool.

"I'll call a taxi."

* * *

 **Sunday - Yukinoshita's Apartment – 15:07**

Hiratsuka slowly wakes up, as she hears someone unlocking the door. Currently she is lying down on the couch, with a blanket over her body. She begins rubbing her eyes, while feeling a pounding headache - likely from all the alcohol she consumed. Shizuka sighs and pulls the blanket away.

When she does this, she notices Rorona asleep on the couch next to her with his head by her feet and his feet by her head.

"Ugh…" She groans, smelling the odour.

Just then, the door to the apartment opens and Yukinoshita walks in holding her luggage. With a blank expression, she looks at Hiratsuka then at Rorona. The teacher and student make eye contact, and an awkward tension fills the room. Without saying a word, Yukino walks past the couch and straight to her bedroom. Shizuka quickly gets up, and tries to straighten up her hair and clothes.

In doorway she notices Hachiman standing quietly, looking at the floor. It takes her a moment, but she musters up the courage to say something.

"So… Are you waiting for Rorona?"

The assassin looks over at her, then at his sleeping partner on the couch.

"Yes."

There is a brief silence, before she frowns and bites her bottom lip.

"Listen, I know we left things off on a not-so-positive note… But I've been thinking about everything and I've come to the conclusion that perhaps if we speak about it: Maybe we'll be better off."

Hikigaya raises an eyebrow.

"Speak about what?"

"Umm… You know… Like about how you lied to me for months about who you are and then just left."

"It's just business. It wasn't personal."

The teacher shakes her head, unsatisfied with that response.

"That's the problem Hachiman; it _was_ personal, for me."

"Well… Sorry, I guess."

She chuckles and puts her head in her hands.

"Is Hachiman even your real name?"

"Yes."

"Well, that's one point for you."

There is another silence, as they stand there awkwardly.

"Do you even want to speak to me?" Shizuka asks candidly.

"I'm here for Rorona…"

Once again, she is unsatisfied with his response.

"You don't even care at all, do you? Do you even think about what you did?"

"I said I'm sorry."

"That's not good enough!" The teacher retorts, almost yelling. "You can't just come into someone's life and destroy everything, then leave like nothing happened."

He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair.

"Hiratsuka, if it were anyone else - they'd have killed you by now. You're a witness. I let you live, I let you _have_ a life."

She scoffs in disgust and shakes her head.

"Wow, you're a real hero."

Just then, Rorona's eyes open and he sits up looking around.

"Shit… What day is it?" He asks, rubbing his forehead.

In the other room, Yukinoshita lays on her bed, looking up at the ceiling. Her arms are spread out in a t-pose and her legs are hanging off the edge of the bed. She feels sick in her stomach, as her mind replays what happened the night before as if on a constant loop.

A moment later, Yukino reaches into her pocket and pulls out her phone. She quickly dials a number, then brings the device up to her ear.

 _"Hello?"_ Yuigahama answers on the other end of the line.

"Yui… How are you?" Yukinoshita asks, as she curls up the bed.

 _"I'm great! My mom and I are having ice-cream at Mister Donut!"_

The wealthy-girl begins to quietly cry, clutching her phone tightly.

"That's good…"

 _"I know right! Strawberry is my favourite…"_

"Yeah, you told me a while ago."

Yuigahama chuckles.

 _"Well I can't speak long. Is everything okay?"_

Yukinoshita sniffs and wipes her wet cheek against the blanket.

"Everything's fine…"

 _"Well that's good, can we speak later though?"_

Not a second later, Yukino swipes the red button on her screen, abruptly ending the call. She then sit sup on her bed and takes a deep breath. After collecting her thoughts, she stands up and walks over to the bathroom connected to her room.

As she looks at herself in the mirror, she sees how the tears have affected her makeup. She quickly turns on the tap, then grabs a cloth, wets it, and wipes her face clean.

Back in the lounge, Rorona slips his arms through his jacket and walks over to Hikigaya by the doorway.

"Okay, I'm all set, let's get outta here."

Hiratsuka watches as the two of them stand in the hallway, then shut the door behind them. As the front door closes, Yukinoshita's opens, and the wealthy-girl walks out.

"How was your trip?" The teacher asks, as she sits down on the couch – still thinking about Hachiman.

"It was fine… Everything is fine."

* * *

 **Author's Notesssssssss:** Match Point will be on hiatus for the next three weeks, then it will return. Thanks for reading!


	40. The Courtesan's Launder - Part 1

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: Yukino's mission to find and kill her Gabriel Darabont finally draws to a close, though she is left unsatisfied with the outcome. Shizuka finally confronts 8man, but similarly does not find what she was looking for.

* * *

 **Saturday - Abandoned Basement – 19:21**

 _ **PUH**_

A small white ball bounces against a ping pong paddle, before ricocheting off the surface of a table, then against another paddle.

The table in question is wide and has a small net going down the middle horizontally. This is a ping pong table, where two players play a miniature game of tennis with paddles and a small plastic ball.

On one end of the table is Hikigaya, and on the other end is Rorona. As the ball hits the table, it bounces over the assassin's head and onto the floor.

"I win!" Rorona declares cheerfully, as he jumps up and down.

"Win? For the tenth time: We're playing by official rules, not this weird trailer park version you keep trying to push." Hachiman responds, turning around to pick up the ball.

"I'm telling you, this is the best way to play. When I was kid, there were no 'official rules'. You either hit the ball or you didn't."

Hikigaya smiles as he kneels down, before grabbing the ball and setting his paddle on a crate.

"Awe, come on? Are you really giving up that easily?" Rorona taunts, as he spins his own paddle in his hand.

"Yukinoshita was nice enough to throw some money our way, but that doesn't mean we can just waste all our time. It's been over two weeks since we did anything of value. We need to get back to work."

Rorona sighs, before nodding and placing his paddle down as well. He then proceeds to walk around the table and up to the white board, pointing to one of the photos taped on.

"About a month ago we dealt with Hiroshi Maeue. Right now, he's in police custody."

The assassin sits down in a chair and places his feet on their new mini-fridge, as he looks over at his partner.

"Who's up next?"

"Miyuki Ishikawa. She runs a strip club here in Chiba."

"Will you remind me what her connection to Komanda is?" Hachiman requests as he bends slightly, before opening the small mini-fridge door.

"Komanda gets money from all over the place; extortion, drug trade, arms dealing, and a lot of other stuff. Bank accounts are key here.

Let's say Komanda strikes a deal to trade a small arms shipment for about ten thousand United States Dollars. If he were to take that money and just drop it into an account, it'd get flagged pretty quick, considering there isn't clear origin where it came from. Obviously, he can't just explain that he got the money came from selling Ak-47s to gangs.

So, you have all this money, but there isn't a place to put it. What do you do?"

Hikigaya pulls out a MAX Coffee from the fridge and cracks it open, then answers.

"You launder it."

Rorona clicks his fingers and points at his partner.

"That's right, and he launders it through Miyuki Ishikawa's strip club. It's actually pretty genius. Guys are always into these places to throw cash at woman; so police would never be suspicious of a stripper depositing irregular sums of money into her accounts."

"Okay so you've done a bit of research, but how does that help us stop Miyuki?"

"Well, that's you're specialty…"

Hachiman nods and takes a sip of his coffee.

"Let's go check out this strip club."

* * *

 **Chiba Streets – 12:01**

On a nice clear day, in a nice neighbourhood, the car of a detective pulls up outside an apartment block. Inside the car is none other than Reo Touma, pursuing a lead on the elusive assassin he's been chasing.

As the car stops, the detective opens up his door and gets out. Without hesitation he grabs a small folder from the passenger seat, then shuts the car door and locks up.

He proceeds to head across the street towards the apartment block, looking over his shoulder the whole time.

Upon reaching the building's entrance, Touma checks for an intercom or a buzzer. In front of him is a glass door, with metal bars ahead of it. Next to the door is a small box with several rectangular buttons, all with a label for the different apartment numbers pasted on.

Reo reaches out and presses the button for "Apartment 66". As he does so, a buzzing sound rings out of a small speaker on the box.

A few moments later, a voice comes through the same speaker.

 _"Hello?"_

It's clearly a lady's voice, though it is quite distorted.

"Hello Ma'am, I'm Detective Reo Touma with the Japanese Police. May I come in and speak to you?"

There is a brief silence as the woman on the other end of the line considers what to do.

 _"Uhh… Sure okay, I'll buzz you in…"_

Just then the metal gate vibrates slightly, before it opens automatically, giving Touma a clear entrance into the building.

He quickly heads inside and begins climbing the spiral wooden steps, making his way to the sixty-sixth apartment. It doesn't take long, and soon Reo is standing outside of the apartment door, getting ready to speak to the resident.

 _ **KNOCK**_

 _ **KNOCK**_

After another short wait, the door to the apartment opens; revealing a lady in her late twenties on the other side. She is Caucasian with short black hair and wearing a dark robe with bunny slippers.

This woman is Rorona's ex-wife.

* * *

 **Chix & Dix – 20:01**

Hikigaya and Rorona stand outside the strip club, staring up at the large neon sign. This sign is essentially the outline of a woman, with a frame of the words "Chix & Dix" layered over.

The lady's outline flashes with a bright pink glow, while the letters alternate between red and blue.

"So… Do we just go in?" Hachiman asks, raising an eyebrow.

Rorona chuckles.

"Have you never been to a strip club before?"

"Does it look like this is one of my interests?"

The older of the two shakes his head and begins walking towards the entrance. The front door is guarded by two large, bald bouncers. They both have their arms folded and a mean look on their face.

As Rorona walks up in front of them, they begin sizing him up. This is all they do though, before stepping aside and allowing him through the door.

However, when Hikigaya tries to follow Rorona in, one of the bouncers put his hand out, stopping the assassin in his tracks.

"Sorry kid, no under eighteens. Nice try though."

Hachiman looks at the man and smiles, before turning around in defeat. Given his experience, he could probably take the man on one-to-one, but getting into a fight here would be pretty pointless.

As he walks away, he takes out his phone and types out a text to his partner. Inside the club Rorona hears his phone beep twice, however he is quite distracted, as he looks upon the happenings inside.

The interior is dark as expected; mainly illuminated by two large lights. The right and left side of the club each have a wide stage, with the lights hanging above. The light to the left is blue, while the one to the right is red. On the stages are strippers, dancing around poles.

What makes this particular establishment interesting though, is how all the strippers to the left are woman and all the ones on the right are men.

Rorona's eyes widen slightly, as he looks at the crowd of woman - and few men - by the male strippers. His gaze then shifts the female section, with the large majority being males, with some woman here and there.

Not all the strippers are on stage though, some are walking around holding trays with drinks, and offering private dances.

After standing in place by the entrance and gawking at the models for a few moments, Rorona remembers he's here on business. When he turns around to speak to his partner, he realizes Hikigaya is no where to be found.

He quickly takes out his phone and finds a new text message reading: "Bouncer won't let me through. Find an office or something. I'll get in from the back."

Rorona sighs and puts his phone away, before scanning the area for any doors. He notices one by the far-right corner behind the stage, and quickly begins heading through the crowd. Just like the entrance, this door has a bouncer in front of it. Unlike the entrance though, this guy probably wouldn't just let Rorona through, so as he makes his way there he considers what to do.

One of the ladies holding a tray happens to walk past Rorona, and he quickly grabs a drink. With it in hand, he strolls towards the bouncer; pretending as if he's not looking where he's going.

Not a moment later, Rorona bumps into the man, spilling his drink all of the guy's shirt.

"Oh my god!" Rorona reacts, before beginning to wipe the man's shirt with his hands. "I'm so sorry man, I just wasn't paying attention, you know how it is…"

The bouncer groans in annoyance.

"Yeah, yeah… It's fine just…"

Rorona continues patting him, trying to dry up the liquid.

"Just stop touching me okay." The man says with an annoyed tone, before turning around and walking towards the bathrooms, looking down at his now wet shirt.

As the guy walks away, Rorona grins and clutches a set of keys he pick-pocketed off of him.

* * *

 **Apartment Block – 12:13**

"Please come in…" Pamela says, seeing Detective Touma flashing his badge in front of her.

Reo obliges and enters the apartment, looking around.

For the most part it is tidy, with ornaments and family photos placed about. The floor is carpeted, and toys can be seen shuffled into one of the corners under a table.

"Uhh… Would you like some tea?" She asks, shutting the door.

"No thank you." Touma responds, recalling what happened the last time a lady offered him a drink. "May I take a seat?"

Pamela nods, and he promptly sits down on the couch.

"So Detective, would you tell me why you're here?"

"I'd like to discuss your ex-husband; Rorona Kobayashi."

She sighs and sits down in one of the seats across from the couch.

"What did he do? He doesn't need bail money or something, does he?"

Reo leans back and takes out his notepad.

"Why is that your first thought?"

"He's always had a tendency to get in trouble."

"Is that why you two are divorced?"

"God no…" Pamela responds chuckling. "Rorona has some personal issues he needs to work through."

"What are those personal issues?"

"Does it matter?"

Touma looks her in the eye and smiles warmly.

"I know your husband used to be a part of the United States Marines; I imagine that could cause stress at home."

"No… Rorona is actually pretty well adjusted all things considered, but he's kind of childish you know? He can barely keep a job. One day I just said 'enough' and filed for divorce."

"I see, and you have a son?"

"I do; he's at a friend's house right now."

Reo nods and writes something down.

"So, are you going to tell me why you want to know about my ex?"

"His DNA came up at a crime scene, but this kind of stuff happens all the time – it could very well just be a coincidence."

Pam raises an eyebrow and frowns.

"If his DNA was found at a crime scene, shouldn't it be him you're speaking to?"

"Trust me ma'am, we're working all angles."

She nods slowly, before speaking.

"Well, if he did commit a crime, I wouldn't be _that_ surprised."

"Why is that?"

"He had this friend… Kyle Smith; the guy's a control freak. The two of them met a long time ago in the marines and bonded or something… But Kyle's not a great guy, you know? He ended up marrying my best friend Akane. When Rorona and I were together, we had our suspicions he was abusing her – physically."

"Why didn't you report it?"

"We were young and stupid… We'd all just came to live in Japan and didn't want to start making waves. Like I said - this was a long time ago, and Rorona and I ended up losing contact with Akane and Kyle. If Rorona is in any serious trouble, I can only imagine it's related to that guy…"

Touma looks to the side and sees several dresses folded over on one of the chairs. Pamela notices his staring, and preemptively addresses his thoughts.

"I'm going to a party tomorrow night with some of my friends. It's for her bachelorette…"

He nods and puts his notepad away, before standing up and smiling.

"Thank you for your time Pamela. You've been a great help."

The detective turns around and begins walking towards the front door. She stays seated, watching him leave.

* * *

 **Chix & Dix – 20:36**

Rorona looks around, as he walks through the doorway. Straight ahead are stairs leading to a second floor, with another door to the side. Next to the stairs is a hallway going further down. It's pretty dark, but he decides to avoid turning on the light switch, in case someone else is lurking around here.

He begins climbing up the stairs, hoping it takes him somewhere helpful. As he ascends each step, the sound of wood creaking under his feet gets louder. Rorona continues though, and eventually reaches the top, where he finds a door. He reaches out and turns the knob, before pushing the door forward and entering inside.

The room has a desk at the end, with a bunch of photos hung up on the walls. There is a light on the ceiling, illuminating it well.

Interestingly, in one corner of the room are several stacks of cash, along with other valuable items like gold, silver, etc. Rorona raises an eyebrow, and looks away from the money, to his right.

To his great surprise, he sees an older woman leaning against the wall with a cigarette in her mouth – staring at him. She is wearing a wide, lengthy black dress that goes past here ankles. The woman also has broken looking teeth, and a slim, wrinkly face.

"Uhhh…" He nervously tries to a from a sentence, failing miserably.

"What are you doing up here?" The lady asks, taking the cigarette out of her mouth.

"Just… Umm… Looking around, you know?"

"You're just looking around? Really?"

Before he can say anything, she shakes her head disapprovingly, then walks up in front of him. The lady puts her face right up to his and blows some cigarette smoke out of her mouth.

"You don't gotta lie to me; I know why you're here."

Rorona widens his eyes slightly and tries to back away. Unfortunately, he hits the wall behind him and the older lady gets even closer.

"You do?"

"Of course, you want a job, don't you?"

He chuckles nervously.

"Yeah… That's exactly why I'm here! To get a job… As a bounc-"

"As a stripper…" She interrupts, finishing his sentence.

"Yeah that's what I meant…" Rorona explains, almost inaudibly.

The reason why he is so nervous, is because this lady is Miyuki Ishikawa, Komanda's lieutenant.

"Why don't you do a little a dance for me?"

Miyuki backs away from him and sits down on her desk, before folding her legs and crossing her arms.

"D-Dance?"

"That's right; show me what you got."

Rorona begins swaying from side-to-side, trying to dance. This doesn't work too well, and Komanda's lieutenant becomes visibly annoyed.

"If you want to be a real good gal's Boy Toy, you better be ready to play… I got twenty twinks on speed dial who'd kill for a visit in my office."

As tension rises in the room, Rorona lets out a sigh and apprehensively begins unbuttoning his shirt. Miyuki licks her lips, nodding while he does so.

"Now we're getting somewhere…"

Rorona slowly pulls his arms out of each sleeve, then throws the shirt off his shoulder, before swaying his hips and doing his best to flex his muscles.

Suffice to say, he does not like where this is heading.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** If anyone doesn't remember - Kyle Smith was hired with Rorona by Haruno to capture 8man. 8man quickly killed Kyle and made Rorona work for him. Chapter 41 will be up next week!


	41. The Courtesan's Launder - Part 2

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: Touma's investigation moves forward, while Rorona and 8man prepare to take down the next of Komanda's lieutenants.

* * *

 **Saturday – Chix & Dix - 20:24**

Hikigaya heads around the strip club building, walking towards the back to look for another way in. Unfortunately, his skills in assassination can't boost his age.

As he strolls along the side of the building, a conversation catches his attention. He follows the voices, walking further as the speaking gets louder and louder. It doesn't take long for him to reach the end of the side of the strip club, and he promptly peeks his head around the corner to see what's going on.

At the back of the building, a couple of cars can be seen parked up against a wall. Walking around the cars are several women dressed in very skimpy and tight clothing. Judging by their appearances, Hachiman surmises these women are prostitutes.

"Listen you've done well, but this week you're short…" A man wearing a large blue jacket and matching hat says, leaning against the wall with his arms folded.

"No please… I did everything you asked. Thirty-four clients. Multiple men per day. What more could I do?" One of the prostitutes asks him desperately, as she speaks with a thick Chinese accent.

"Don't disrespect me; look at who you are. You'd be in the gutter without my help. I told you how much to bring me and you didn't get enough. Why would I pay you?"

"Please, I told you! One of the men stole my money yesterday… I had no time to make it back!"

"Not my problem. If you want, I can bring it up with Miyuki and we'll see what she has to say. How'd you like that?"

"No… She's insane!"

"That's right, she is. So either get back on the corner and make some money, or get out of here."

"But I need to eat!"

The man chuckles and shoves her out of the way.

"You'd be good to lose a few pounds."

With that, he opens his car door and gets inside. The car is a black Cadillac, and is soon moving backwards in reverse, then driving out into the adjacent street.

After he leaves, the prostitutes all walk up to each other and stand in a circle discussing the conversation that just took place. Hikigaya pays little attention to them, and heads out from behind the corner and into the back parking area of the strip club.

Some of the women begin staring at him, as he looks around at the windows and doors.

"What you doin'?" One of the them asks, prompting all the women to face him.

Hachiman shifts his gaze towards them and sighs, before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small role of cash.

"Take a walk; all of you." He says, as he tosses the money to one of the prostitutes.

The woman catches it, then pulls off the rubber band keeping the money together. After counting each bill, she looks at her peers and nods. A moment later they all begin walking away.

Now without witnesses, Hikigaya casually strolls up to the back door of the club and pulls a lock pick out of one of his pockets. It only takes a few moments, and soon the door is unlocked and ready for entry. Hachiman puts his tools away, then reaches out and grabs the knob. However, before he can turn it - someone grabs his arm, surprising him. He quickly turns around and backs away, getting ready to fight.

Interestingly though, the person who grabbed his arm is the prostitute that was being threatened earlier.

"You're him right?" She asks with wide eyes. "You're the assassin?"

* * *

 **Fuchū Maximum Security Prison – 14:35**

Detective Touma walks down a long prison corridor, as he is guided along by two guards. The short walk leads them to a thick metal door, that has a small box next to it.

The guard to his right pulls out a key card, then swipes it against the box – prompting the locks on the door to magnetically open. With that, they push the door forward and enter into a large open room filled with round tables and chairs. By some of the tables are civilians sitting across from inmates.

The inmates are dressed in green jumpsuits, and most of them are chained by handcuffs connected to ankle bracelet restraints.

As he enters the visitation centre, the detective is quickly sat down by one of the empty tables. The guards then leave, but return shortly with a prisoner by their side. They seat the prisoner on the other end of table in front of Reo, then back away and stand with their hands at their sides.

"Detective…" The inmate says, acknowledging him.

"Hello, Hiroshi."

"What are you doing here?"

Touma takes a folder and places it in front of Komanda's now imprisoned lieutenant.

"I wanted to ask you a few questions."

"I already told you what I know about the fight club…"

"This isn't about that. I need to know some other things – off the record."

Hiroshi raises an eyebrow, as the detective opens the folder and takes out a few photos, before putting them out to see.

"Do you know this woman?" Reo asks, pointing at a picture of Hiratsuka sitting at a bar counter.

"No… She's hot though."

Touma ignores the remark, and points to a photo of Rorona sitting next to her.

"How about him?"

Hiroshi takes a good long look, before nodding.

"Yeah, he was that guy helping the kid who took me down."

"You pleaded guilty to get a reduced sentence, and in your statement you told me that it was a teenager who infiltrated the club – with the help of an accomplice – then recorded you and shot you in the arm."

"That's right…"

"Please describe the teenager to me."

"Why didn't ask me about this when you were investigating the club?"

"Like I said – I want this off the record."

Hiroshi chuckles and nods, understanding what's going on.

"You know exactly who this kid is, don't you Detective? That's why you're being so inconspicuous, you're scared of him…"

"I have reason to believe that this person is a highly-trained and highly-dangerous assassin for hire. I believe someone payed him to bust you. If you help me find this assassin, perhaps I can get your sentence reduced further, or move you to a more comfortable facility."

There is a brief silence, as the ex-lieutenant considers the deal.

"Sorry, Detective." Hiroshi says, shaking his head. "I aint a snitch; and this assassin you want so badly – I recommend you drop it, because there are powerful forces who want him dead. If you were to catch him, these forces would steamroll you without hesitation."

"Is that a threat?"

"No… It's a warning. I gave up the club, because it didn't mean much. It's replaceable - But this assassin is one of a kind. You best leave him alone."

Hiroshi stands up off the chair and turns to the guards. They walk up to him, before guiding him away from the table and out the visitation room.

Touma begins packing up his photos, unsatisfied.

* * *

 **Chix & Dix – 21:05**

Rorona opens the office door and stumbles out into the hallway. On his face is a blank expression, along with several different kiss-shaped lipstick imprints on his skin. His shirt is completely unbuttoned, and only one arm is through the sleeves. As he heads out, he begins buckling up his belt, trying to keep his pants up.

"You got the job, Sweetie!" Miyuki yells out from the office, followed by laughter.

He pays no attention and just leans against the wall, getting his bearings.

"Goddamn…"

To the side, he begins to hear knocking against glass. Rorona looks to the direction the noise is coming from and sees Hikigaya banging against the window.

Without hesitation, he runs up to his partner and opens up the window, allowing him in. Currently Hachiman is balancing on an air vent, while hanging off the ledge; this window does happen to be several metres up from the ground.

"The back door led to a guard room, so I had to climb up the building…" The assassin says, as he looks at Rorona's face and clothing. "What happened to you?"

"Just get inside…" Rorona responds, before helping Hikigaya climb through the window.

The two of them then proceed to walk down the hallway, until they find an empty room to speak in. The room is small and dark, but it's good enough, and they quickly head inside.

"I'll ask again – what happened to you?"

Rorona sighs.

"I walked in on Miyuki's office. I panicked and pretended like I was there for a job interview. She made strip!"

Hachiman supresses a smile, then nods.

"You'll survive… Did you get the job though?"

"Did I get the job?! She could have killed me! There's no way I'd work here."

"Calm down, this could give us leverage. If you pose as a stripper, you'd have full access to the building. I bet you'd be able find something."

"Hell no! I'm not built to be a stripper!"

"Well the lieutenant seems to disagree. Are you gonna do it or not?"

There is a brief silence, before Rorona concedes.

"Screw it… I guess so…"

The assassin smiles and pats his partner on the back, before walking a metre away and leaning against the wall.

"When I was outside a hooker approached me." Hachiman begins to explain. "She knew who I am and what I'm doing here."

"What? How?"

"Apparently, Miyuki is running illegal and underage prostitution outside this club. This girl in particular overheard a phone conversation between Miyuki, a pimp, and Komanda himself. They were speaking about me, and how I might be coming here."

Rorona looks down nervously, as he listens.

"The girl told me that she wanted to help. She was smuggled here from China and forced into this work. According to her - there is a ledger, along with a few other pieces of evidence, currently being stored at the Chiba Police Precinct. If I can get this evidence, it'll be more than enough to bust Miyuki and her operation."

"How do we know we can trust her?"

"She was desperate, Rorona. I'm the only one who can help."

There is a brief silence, as the older of the two considers things.

"So if you can get evidence, why do I need to do this stripper job?"

"There's still the possibility that she _might_ be lying; if what she says doesn't pan out, I'll still have you working here."

Rorona nods, understanding the plan.

"If everything goes well, we should have this place up in flames by the end of the tomorrow."

* * *

 **Fuchū Maximum Security Prison – 14:51**

Hiroshi walks down the hallway towards his cell. The guards beside him match his pace, as the sounds of prisoners speaking and yelling can be faintly heard from other rooms.

"That detective's a nobody." He says, looking over at the guard on his right.

The man smiles and nods at Hiroshi, before pulling out his key ring and unlocking the door to the cells.

"Call up Komanda, tell him I need some better accommodations. A TV in my room should suffice for now."

As the large metal door opens, the three of them enter into the cell block, where several rows of prison cells can be seen stacked on top of each other. The ex-lieutenants cell is in the far right corner, just next to the stairs leading to the balconies for the other cells.

"Open on seventy-five!" The guard yells out, as they arrive at the room - where another prisoner can be seen inside.

From the control centre, a guard presses a button and the bars begin to slide to the right.

Hiroshi walks inside, then sits on the bottom bunk bed. While he does this, his cellmate walks up to the bars – that have now begun to slide closed – and has something whispered to him from the guard.

After the guard leaves, Hiroshi's cellmate takes a deep breath and walks up to the bunk bed. A few moments later, he grabs his pillow, then backs up and stands in front of Hiroshi. The ex-lieutenant looks up at him and raises an eyebrow.

"What's wrong?"

"Komanda says your time's up." The man responds emotionlessly.

Hiroshi's blood runs cold and he widens his eyes.

"I-I didn't say anything…"

"No… But you will."

The man then kneels over Hiroshi and stuffs the pillow onto his face. Hiroshi struggles hard, but the man easily over-powers him, smothering him with the pillow. It takes about four long minutes, but his body soon falls still.

From outside the prison, Touma gets in his car and prepares to drive home – completely unaware of what has transpired.

* * *

 **Sunday - Chiba Police Precinct – 07:56**

Hikigaya sits on the roof of the building opposite the Chiba Police Precinct. Unfortunately, he hasn't had a chance to sleep as all night he's been studying the blueprints to the precinct.

It's lucky for him that the public library keeps records of old structures, and that this precinct has been around for a long time. According to the internet – there haven't been any significant renovations throughout its life span, so his information should suffice.

The assassin wastes no time, and after having everything prepared, he heads down to the street. After that, he quickly – and inconspicuously – jogs around the alley and to the back of the building.

As expected, it's filled with garbage cans and mice. Above the garbage and on the wall of the building however, is a fuse box with a big danger symbol above it. Hachiman reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his karambit. He then uses the knife to break open the lock, giving him access to the wiring.

Instead of fiddling with it himself, he simply takes an old packet of chips off the ground and begins sprinkling the crumbs inside the box. This catches the attention of one of the rats, who quickly runs over to eat some of the crumbs. As it does this, it chews out the wires – causing several electrical sparks to fly from the box, as well as a loud zapping sound.

Hikigaya smiles then backs up out the alley and heads towards the front of the building. The glass panes on the front doors offer a small glimpse inside, and as far as he can see - it's quite dark.

Considering Japan's low crime rate, the government has been cutting the budget of precincts all over Tokyo. As the money decreased, the folks over at the Chiba Precinct opted to get rid of their backup generator – leaving their lights and cameras vulnerable, but saving money.

'That's step one…' Hachiman thinks to himself, as he strolls up to a parked police cruiser.

Inside the vehicle are two uniformed officers, each enjoying a nice warm cup of ramen. However their meal is brought to an end, when Hikigaya kicks the passenger side window as hard as he can.

Given that it's a police vehicle – the glass doesn't break, but the kick does leave one large crack down the middle. The officers inside look at him with shocked expressions on their face, before quickly getting out and grabbing their batons.

"Are you insane?!" One of the officers yells out, as he angrily stomps towards Hachiman.

The assassin says nothing, and simply allows himself to have his hands handcuffed. The officers waste no time, and quickly march him into the precinct. As they enter, the officer behind Hikigaya looks around with a confused expression.

"Hey Jo, what happened to the lights?"

"I don't know man, Karen went to check it out. We may have to call an electrician."

"Damn… This psycho kid just tried to assault me and Take; He needs to be processed."

"Just take him to the holding cells for now, you can do it later."

The officer sighs in frustration, before roughly guiding Hachiman around the desks and to the stairs. A few moments later, they take the staircase down to the basement – where the holding cells are.

After a short walk down the hall beside the cells, the officer stops and takes out his keys. He quickly unlocks the gate and pulls it open. Hikigaya walks inside, seeing a someone inside the cell staring at the ceiling while sitting on one of the benches. The gate is quickly shut, and the officer walks off.

Due to the lack of lights, the cells are pretty dark – lit up only by a couple candles that have been placed about.

"What are you in for?" The assassin asks, walking up in front of his new cellmate.

The man looks at him lethargically and grins.

"I saw the moon man… It was scary!"

"So, drugs then?"

"If by drugs you mean the key to my psyche, then yes – A shit load of drugs."

Hachiman smirks and raises his hands up to his mouth. He quickly takes a small metal key out from behind his gums and presses it into his cuffs. After a jiggling at the lock for a few moments, they come loose. He then reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a wad of yen.

"Want to make some money?" He asks, brandishing the notes in front of the guy.

"Hell yeah…"

"Scream as loud as you can."

The man doesn't even hesitate, and begins yelling like a crazy-person. Not even ten seconds later, the policeman guarding the holding cells jogs up to them.

"What's with all the commotion?!" He asks, raising his hands and looking at the screaming man, then Hikigaya. "Hey! How'd you get out of your restraints?"

The officer pulls out his keys and unlocks the cell, before walking up to Hachiman to re-cuff him. Unfortunately, when he reaches out – the assassin quickly kicks him in the shin, then punches the man in the face, knocking him unconscious. After that, he kneels down and rips a few pieces of material off the man's uniform off and proceeds to tie-up and gag him with it.

By now the drug-guy has stopped his screaming, and is enjoying the show.

As soon as the officer has been dealt with, Hikigaya grabs his keys and heads out the cell.

'According to the library, there is a big open room connected to the cell block. This is the most likely place evidence would be held. Let's hope I'm right…'

He quickly walks up to the door at the end of the basement and begins trying each key on the ring. After several attempts, the lock successfully turns, and Hachiman enters into the room. A quick glance around confirms his theories, and several boxes of evidence can be seen stacked on the shelves. He makes his way around the room, checking the different tags.

'According to the girl – the evidence is filed under her pimp's name. So that would be…"

Hizachi, Haru. The name is written in bold letters on a file sitting on top of a dusty box.

'Perfect.'

The assassin takes the file and puts it under his shoulder, then turns around to head out – however, a name catches his attention just as he turns. He looks back, and sees the words "Hikigaya, Hachiman" labelled on one of the other files.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Chapter 42 will be up next week! For now, let's respond to a review.

I saw a question about the ships in Match Point, so I will speak about those for a moment.

There are no ships that are set in stone, as that's not really the focus of this series. If I see positive reactions from the readers to certain pairings, I will likely add that in.

Thanks for reading!


	42. The Courtesan's Launder - Part 3

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: 8man succesfully breaks into the Chiba Police Precinct and recovers the evidence, while Komanda has his lieutenant killed.

* * *

 **Sunday – Chix & Dix – 19:06**

Rorona takes a deep breath, as he looks at himself in the mirror. Currently he is standing in the changing room, wearing jeans and a very loose white dress shirt. On his head is a cowboy hat, along with two brown boots covering his feet.

'Okay… I just need to get this shift out the way… Then I can ask around.'

He sighs and places his head in his hands.

'God this is embarrassing, but hey - at least I'll make some cash.'

With that, he turns away from the mirror and heads to a curtain covering a doorway. Just as he's about to head through, a lean muscular man walks out from the other side of the curtain with glitter and thin coloured streams slipping off his shoulders.

"Crowd's great today." He says to Rorona, giving him a thumbs up and a grin.

Rorona simply nods, before making a fist and walking through the curtain.

This leads him out onto to the stage, where a few other men can be seen dancing in front of a crowd of woman. To the right of him are the female strippers on the other side of the club.

He slowly walks up to the edge, swaying his hips and shoulders as he does so. The spotlight shining out from the roof hurts his eyes a bit, but he ignores the glare and continues strutting. Upon reaching the edge, a few girls up front whistle at him. Rorona awkwardly begins slipping his arms out his shirts sleeves, as the song "So High" by Doja Cat plays in the background.

It doesn't take long for him to get in a rhythm with the music and almost enjoy the experience – despite how embarrassing it is. The little fun he is having however, is brought to an abrupt end when he notices his ex-wife Pamela standing by the stage staring up at him with her mouth wide.

"Oh my god…" She reacts, as her friends dance around her obliviously.

Rorona quickly kneels down by her, with a bright red face.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" He asks, while trying to continue dancing so as to not raise suspicion.

"What the hell am I doing here?! What the hell are you doing here?!"

"I-I'm… Working…"

This is only half a lie.

"Working? This is the job you've been keeping a secret from me?"

"Uh… Yep…"

As much as he wants to tell her he's only undercover for Hikigaya, Rorona knows lying right now is the best course of action – no matter how cringe inducing it is.

"I can't believe this…"

"Well… B-Believe it… Now tell me: What are you doing here?!"

"My friend's getting married! We're here for a party!"

"What kind of party is this? You're at a strip club!"

"So are you!"

Rorona shakes his head and stands up. He looks around at the other dancers and the crowd, before turning around and walking back out the curtain, far too shaken up to continue.

* * *

 **Chiba Police Precinct – 19:11**

"What the hell happened here!?" The police captain yells out angrily at several officers all gathered in the break room.

The captain has a short grey beard, and is quite overweight – given his lack of fieldwork in recent years.

"We're not sure sir…" One of the detectives responds, leaning against the counter the coffee machine is placed on.

Touma chuckles from the other side of the room and shakes his head.

"We're not sure? Yes we are. Someone – a teenager – came in here, knocked out an officer, then STOLE evidence." He says, clearly disappointed.

"At the time the lights were out…" The younger detective responds.

"Why do you think they were out?!"

Karen raises her hands in the air and walks to the middle of the room.

"Listen, it's nobody's fault; whoever did this was a professional. Touma has been tracking this guy for months."

The officer Hikigaya knocked out in the cells sits on a couch with a bag of peas pressed against the sore head.

"Professional? Nah, the kid just got a lucky hit on me!"

"This kind of incompetence is unacceptable. I expect more from every single one of you." The captain says with a disappointed expression, before walking past his subordinates and out the break room.

There is a brief moment of quiet, as they all stand there quite embarrassed.

"So… What did he take?" Karen asks, breaking the silence.

"Two files of evidence; one about a guy named Haru Hizachi and another about the assassin I'm chasing."

"Do we have backups?"

"I have Hachiman Hikigaya's file backed up in my home, but the investigation against Haru Hizachi was in limbo – that was the only file."

"Wow… We really got screwed."

"There's no point in worrying about it now. Someone go find this Haru Hizachi guy and bring him in for questioning. It's possible he hired the assassin to do this. Also, I want all the officers who came into contact with him to speak to a sketch artist. I want a face by the end of the day."

The detectives and officers around him nod and head off to go do as Touma says.

* * *

 **Monday - Chiba Streets – 05:31**

Hikigaya walks down the (almost) empty street, as he takes in the early morning air. It's still quite dark, with the sun just about starting to appear and light up the sky. Suddenly, the assassin's phone begins vibrating in his pocket. Hachiman promptly takes it out and answers the call.

"Hi." He greets into the device, before looking over at a car parked a bit down the street.

 _"Hey, it's Rorona…"_

"What's up?"

 _"Listen, I can't do the stripper thing. Sorry."_

Hikigaya frowns and continues staring at the car, as a prostitute dressed in skimpy clothes walks up and leans into the driver's window.

"Yeah, uh… It's no problem, I got the evidence from the precinct."

 _"Already?!"_

"Wasn't too hard."

Rorona chuckles through the phone.

 _"Okay well, I'm still at the strip club. I'll look around for a bit, but we should nail the lieutenant soon."_

"We'll have her by the end of the day."

 _"Cool… Cool…"_

"I have to go. I'll meet you later, bye."

Hachiman doesn't wait for a response and quickly presses the red button on his phone screen, then returns the device to his pocket. He proceeds to jog over to the car, which is quite a distance away.

Inside of the vehicle is Haru Hizachi – who also happens to be the pimp from the strip club.

"So you're late on your payment as well? What do you girls think this is?" He asks angrily, as he gets out of the car.

The prostitute puts her hands out and backs away.

"Chill, I told I'd get the money. Just wait a lil'."

"Wait? That's what you all say, every single day! You think that you're special? You aint… If you don't deliver, I'll make sure you learn your lesson."

"Tsch… Like I'm scared of some Wokou."

Haru shoves her roughly.

"You better be, because I can make sure that face is no where near as presentable as it is now."

"Piss off…"

That tips the pimp over the edge, and he raises his hand to slap her. He swings towards her cheek, however his attack stops abruptly when Hikigaya grabs him by the wrist, before twisting his arm around his waist and pushing Haru backwards.

Hachiman then pulls the man's arm over his head, and pushes him over the front of the car in a similar position the police would use to handcuff someone.

 _ **BANG**_

He uses his other hand to raise Haru's head up by his hair and slam his face into the vehicle.

 _ **BANG**_

The pimp's nose begins bleeding, causing his mouth and face to get stained with blood.

 _ **BANG**_

One more hit does it, and he is knocked out. Hikigaya proceeds to grab the man by his shoulders and throw him into the backseat of the car. The prostitute watches with wide eyes as he does so.

After that, Hachiman pulls the keys out of the ignition, then heads to the back of the vehicle and opens up the trunk – where he finds several bags of cocaine. He takes out one of the bags, opens it, then pours the contents over the unconscious pimp in the backseat.

"Do you have a phone on you?" Hikigaya asks, turning to the woman.

She nods, and quickly pulls one out of her slightly exposed brassiere. The assassin takes it and dials a number, then raises the device up to his ear.

 _"Japanese Emergency Services, how may I help you?"_ The person on the other end of the line greets.

"My name's Haru Hizachi, and I love doing cocaine and shaking down hookers. Please arrest me before I do something I'll regret."

 _"Excuse m-"_

Hachiman then ends the call and throws the phone into the backseat.

"Holy shit…" The woman says softly. "You're him..."

He turns back to her and raises an eyebrow.

"The girls have been speaking about you… Just rumours so far, or so I thought."

"Rumours?"

"Yeah… That there's someone helping us…"

Admittedly, his reasons for taking down Miyuki and in turn Komanda are inherently selfish. Hikigaya knows this and can't help but feel slightly guilty.

"Well, you're welcome."

With that, he begins walking away from the car and back down the street, heading to the strip club to confront the lieutenant.

* * *

 **Chiba Police Precinct – 07:10**

Detective Touma stands patiently, as the elevator ascends up the different floors. After a short wait, the lift dings and the doors separate, revealing the roof of the precinct. He quickly walks out and heads over to the ledge. Past said ledge is a wide and beautiful view of Chiba, along with the ocean around it.

The morning birds are chirping and flying around, giving a nice calm atmosphere. Occasionally, Reo will come up here to take breath and collect his thoughts. As he does so, the detective hears his cell phone start ringing. He pulls the device out of his front pocket and answers the call.

"Hello?"

 _"Hello, Detective."_ The caller greets.

This person just so happens to be Hikigaya.

"Who is this?"

 _"I know you've been looking for me, Detective…"_

Touma's blood runs cold and he stands dead still.

"You're the a-"

 _"Assassin?"_ Hachiman interrupts. _"Yes, that's me."_

There is a long silence, as Reo considers what to do.

 _"Anyway, I thought we should speak. Yesterday I broke into your precinct and took some evidence."_

His voice is cold and emotionless.

"What about it?"

 _"My reasons were not malicious, and I can actually be of some service to you – If you want."_

"You're murderer; when I find you, I'll arrest you. If you're lucky perhaps you won't get the death penalty."

 _"Calm down, Detective. I have no plans to harm you, or anyone else for that matter."_

Touma wipes his forehead and begins pacing up and down.

"Then what is this call for? To taunt me?"

 _"No… I want you to meet me somewhere."_

"Where?"

 _"There's a strip club here in Chiba. Be there in two hours and we can speak. Come alone."_

"Yeah, I'll be there."

Not a moment later the call ends, leaving Touma with his eyes wide open.

He quickly puts his phone in his pocket and jogs over into the elevator. It doesn't take long for him to descend back down to the floor where his office is; as he arrives, the detective begins waving his right hand around getting everyone's attention.

"Hey! Everybody, I've got a location on the suspect who came in here yesterday. Get a SWAT team ready, now!"

The officers and detectives quickly drop what they're doing and stand up to help.

* * *

 **Chix & Dix – 07:49**

Hikigaya calmly walks up to the rear entrance of the strip club with one arm behind his back. Some of the hookers loitering in the area begin to disperse as he passes them. Upon reaching the door, he pulls it open – finding two guards on the other side. When they see him they suspiciously raise an eyebrow each, before looking at each other.

As they do this, Hachiman moves his arm out from behind his back, revealing a concealed and silenced pistol. He fires the gun twice, hitting them each in the leg once.

 _ **PSEW**_

 _ **PSEW**_

The men topple over while yelling out in pain; he pays no attention to them and simply steps through the door and heads down the hallway. After a short walk he arrives at a staircase, where another guard happens to be stepping out of.

 _ **PSEW**_

One bullet does the trick and he falls down the last few steps, hitting his head on the tiles. The assassin quickly jogs up to the second floor. He then checks around at the different doors, before finding the one he's looking for and promptly kicking it in.

As the loud sound of wood cracking and a lock breaking echoes through the hall, Hikigaya walks inside. On the desk at the end of the room, he stares directly at Miyuki who is sitting down with her legs crossed.

"I've been expecting you…" She says with her nasally voice.

"Really?" Hachiman responds, clutching his pistol tightly.

"Yeah… Komanda's given us all a heads up, just in case; guess he was right."

"You weren't sure?"

"Nah… I have a lot of enemies. Most don't have the stones to confront me directly though, so kudos I guess."

The assassin takes a deep breath, before speaking.

"I'm sure you know by now that I'm not here to kill you."

She nods.

"But I'm not here to arrest you either."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah… I've come to make a deal."

From outside the strip club - Rorona stands leaned against the front wall, watching cars go by. As he watches them, he begins to hear the faint sound of sirens.

Back inside the lieutenant's office, Miyuki raises an eyebrow and grins.

"A deal? What kind of deal?"

"You work directly with Komanda… That means you could be a big help to me."

"I do work with him, but why would I help you?"

"Because as of now you only have three options."

Hikigaya reaches behind his back and pulls out Haru's evidence folder.

"The documents and witness testimonies in here implicate you in extortion, money laundering, illegal prostitution, human trafficking, murder, and other crimes as well. The original detective handling the case was bribed a big sum of money and it all just went away, but if I were to give this to a real police officer – an incorruptible one – you'd go to jail for life."

Miyuki stays silent as he speaks.

"Personally, I don't care about the law. If I thought throwing this evidence in a fire would bring me closer to completing my task, I'd do it. So here are your three options:

One – You turn on Komanda and help me take him down.

Two – I give this to the police and you go to jail.

Three – You die right here, right now."

"Wow…"

"You have thirty seconds to make a decision."

The female lieutenant folds her arms and chuckles.

"So you're going to kill me?" I thought you were an _ex_ -assassin?"

"It's true, I'm not a hitman for hire anymore – but for better or for worse the jobs I did have taught me one very important thing; when something needs to be done and someone gets in your way, no matter who they are, they become just as important as a contract. So in that, you're just another one of my targets… And I kill my targets."

As they speak, several police cruisers and vans pull up outside the building. Rorona quickly runs inside to warn Hachiman, while the officers and SWAT teams exit their vehicles. The SWAT all have full black gear on, along with the letters S-A-T printed largely on their backs, representing the Special Assault Team of Japan. Right next to them is Touma, armed with his handgun and bulletproof vest.

They all head up to the entrance with guns raises, before kicking in the door and heading inside. The raid doesn't take long, and soon everyone inside the strip club is sent out and the teams begin clearing the different rooms and levels.

Eventually they enter into Miyuki's office where they find her with her hands tied up and folder of evidence resting on a cabinet by the door. After Touma arrives, he picks up the folder and begins looking through it. Miyuki is soon arrested and marched to the cruisers.

Hikigaya however, is no where to be found.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** No breaks for 8man! Looks Miyuki didn't take the deal... Chapter 43 will be up next week. Thanks for reading!


	43. With Friends Like These - Part 1

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: Two lieutenants have been taken care of, and 8man has reached out to the detective pursuing him. What will happen next? Find out!

* * *

 **Friday – Chiba Park – 07:49**

Rorona chuckles loudly, as he kicks a bright pink ball over to the end of the freshly cut green field. The ball passes several people sitting down on blankets and walking around, before finally arriving by a small boy's feet.

This boy is Deishuu, Rorona's kid.

"Kick it back!" The older of the two yells out, as he jogs to the side.

Currently, Rorona is wearing a blue polo-shirt along with jeans. His kid is dressed similarly, with shorts instead of jeans.

Suddenly the ball flies through the air once more, this time arriving by Rorona's feet. He smiles, before kicking it hard – causing it to fly right over Deishuu's head and roll several metres away. The kid quickly chases after it.

"Enjoying yourself?" Someone asks, walking up behind Rorona.

He turns around, only to see a bony man with a scar on his lip and long black dread locks. The guy is wearing a white sleeveless vest and baggy cargo pants. It's safe to say he looks rather grimy; quite the contrast from the other people in the park.

"Oh… Shit…" Rorona reacts, backing away slightly.

"Oh shit indeed. How long has it been since we last spoke? Six months? More?"

"Listen I can ex-"

"Nah, Nah…" The man puts his palm up and grins. "No need to explain anything; people lose contact all the time. It's a good thing I've tracked you down."

"Right…"

The man licks his dry lips and takes a deep breath.

"Did you forget about me, Rorona?"

"Forget? No… Of course not, Mad-Dog. I've just been busy."

Mad-Dog nods and gets up close to Rorona. He then pulls out a switchblade from his pocket and takes the knife up to Rorona's throat, pressing the metal hard against his skin.

"Busy? That's good. Now tell me, where the hell is my damn money?"

"Listen I'm working on it but-"

"No… Don't try and play me Rorona. I'm not some dippie you grew up with. I'll cut you up and feed you to yourself."

Rorona smells the alcohol and tobacco on Mad-Dog's breath, as they stand face-to-face.

"Maybe I should jog your memory…" Mad-Dog suggests. "Last year you came to me desperate, said you needed some money. Now, me being the goddamn saint that I am, I said yes. I told you as long as you could cover it later, I'd be happy to help you out. Now it's later, and I've come to collect."

Mad-Dog pulls the knife away and takes a few steps back. He then points over to two guys eating hotdogs while watching them.

"I've got plenty of men Rorona, so you can either help yourself or screw yourself. Which is it gonna be?"

"I-I'll get the m-money…"

"Good, good. You have until tomorrow."

With that, Mad-Dog turns around begins walking away. After taking a few steps, he raises his arm and turns back.

"Actually, on second thought; I won't feed you to yourself Rorona."

He looks over at Deishuu running towards Rorona with the pink ball.

"I'll feed your kid to you."

Mad-Dog then heads off down the field. Rorona watches with a terrified expression as Deishuu catches up.

"Hey, who was that?" The child asks, tugging on his father's jeans.

Rorona doesn't respond, simply staring into the distance.

* * *

 **Chiba Streets – 08:10 **

Hikigaya and Yukinoshita walk side-by-side along the pavement, as people and cars pass them. The morning birds are chirping, along with the cool early day winds blowing about.

"So I've been thinking…" Yukino states, as she holds a large bottle of Coca-Cola in her hands.

The bottle is so big she has to use both hands to keep it suspended off the ground.

"You've been thinking?" Hachiman responds, while he holds a large bagel in one hand and a Mars bar in the other.

Currently the two of them are having a secret liaison, and have decided the best way to not arouse suspicious is to pretend as if they're having breakfast together. Of course, neither of the two wants to eat breakfast with the other – leaving Yukinoshita awkwardly holding the coke, with Hikigaya's Mars bar and bagel out in front of him.

"You're still working to take down Komanda, right?"

"That's right."

"Given who you are as a person, I'm sure your reason for taking him down is selfish and has little to do with Hiratsuka's life being at stake."

The assassin roles his eyes as she says this.

"To that end, I believe it's my duty to help you out on occasion."

"Help me out?"

"Yes… It pains me to say it, but you and I made quite a dynamic team in Switzerland. I believe if we worked together here, we could take down Komanda more efficiently."

"Rorona and I have been doing fine on our own so far. We've taken down two lieutenants, and hurt his supply of money and men."

"I'm not telling you to bring me along on your endeavours, I'm just saying if you ever need a helping hand – I'll be there."

"How noble of you…"

Yukino scoffs.

"Typical. I try and be nice and am treated like an enemy."

Hachiman sighs and looks at her.

"Alright… I'll bring you on if we need you."

There is a brief silence, before the wealthy-girl nods.

"Okay…"

Just then, Hikigaya's phone begins vibrating in his pocket. He quickly drops the bagel and Mars bar in a nearby trash can, then pulls out the device with his now free hands.

"What is it?" Yukinoshita asks curiously, as he stares at the screen.

"It's a text from Rorona; he wants to speak to me. I better go…"

"But we aren't done."

He looks at her, then at his phone.

"We can speak again tomorrow."

"Where?"

"I'll text you a location."

* * *

 **Abandoned Basement – 09:01**

Hikigaya climbs down the stairs to the basement, then walks through the door. As he enters, he notices Rorona sitting on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands.

"Is something wrong?" Hachiman asks, raising an eyebrow and folding his arms.

Rorona looks up at him, not even trying to hide the anxious expression on his face.

"I-I need your help."

"With what?"

The older of the two hesitates to answer, before standing up beginning to pace back and forth, collecting his thoughts.

"What is it, Rorona?" Hikigaya insists.

"You know me, right?"

"Uhh… Yes…"

"Then you know I'm not a bad guy…"

Hachiman frowns, wondering where this is going.

"Yes…"

"When we met, I was hired to capture you; that's not exactly the type of work a 'good guy' would do. At least it's not the type of work I would normally do. The reason I took the job, was because I was in _serious_ debt with a loan shark – and the job I was offered paid well."

"Okay, why are you telling me this?"

"After we began working together, I sort of forgot about the money I owed the loan shark… Earlier today, he tracked me down."

"And?"

"And he threatened me! He said if I didn't get the money by tomorrow… That he'll hurt my kid."

Hikigaya takes a deep breath and runs his hands through his hair. Rorona looks at him with a worried expression, awaiting his response.

"I still don't understand why you're telling me this, Rorona."

"What? I need your help! I need you to give me the money I owe…"

"Give you the money? The small donations Yukinoshita's been giving us is _just_ enough for food and supplies. We don't have enough to pay off a loan shark."

"We can rob a bank or something!"

The assassin laughs out loud and shakes his head at Rorona.

"Are you hearing yourself? I'm not going to rob a bank for a you; if you're in debt, that's not my problem. We're here to take down Komanda, not deal with your personal issues."

"But we're partners… We're friends!"

The air in the room goes quiet, as Hachiman stares Rorona down.

"I don't know what gave you the impression that we're friends, because we definitely aren't… You are a glorified subordinate. I keep you around out of convenience, but there are plenty of other people I could find to help out."

Rorona's eye widen, and an angry expression appears on his face.

"Screw you! I saved your life! You would've died without me…"

"I owe you nothing. If you don't like it, leave."

The older of the two looks down to the side, then back up at Hachiman.

"Fine, I'm gone. See how you fair by yourself."

With that, he stomps off past Hikigaya towards exit. The assassin doesn't even watch him leave, and simply walks towards the bed to sit down.

* * *

 **Chiba Streets – 15:35**

Rorona walks down the pavement with both hands in his pockets. In the sky, the clouds slowly darken and become a grey-ish black colour. Not too long after, small drops of rain begin falling down.

It doesn't take long for the drizzle to become full on, and soon he is drenched in water. The hard rain also obscures the street around and ahead of him, making it look rather misty. Several people run past Rorona, all trying to get out the rain. Instead of running as well, he simply continues slowly walking towards his destination, trying to prolong the inevitable as long as possible.

After quite a long walk, he arrives at said destination – an old apartment block. Rorona walks up to the front door, then bangs loudly, trying to get the attention of the people inside.

A moment later the door opens, revealing a bald-headed man standing in a coat.

"I'm here to speak to Mad-Dog…" Rorona says loudly, as rain hits him hard.

The man looks at him for a moment, before moving to the side and letting him in.

Rorona enters and is guided down a hallway to a door, leaving wet footprints on the floor. This door leads him into a large room, where four men can be seen sitting around a table playing poker.

One of the men is Mad-Dog, the same man who threatened Rorona earlier in the day.

Beside the table is a couch, where some other men are sitting with their arms folded. On the table beside the couch, is a bag of cocaine and a handgun.

"You got my money?" Mad-Dog asks, looking up from his cards and at Rorona.

"Uhh… No…" He responds, as water drips down his clothes.

"Then what the hell are you here for?"

"I-Uh… I'm not gonna be able to get the money…"

Mad-Dog begins laughing, causing some of the other poker players to laugh a little as well.

"That's funny Rorona, now tell me what you're really here for – 'cause I know nobody is dumb enough to come into my place, and say that shit to me for real."

"It's the truth… There's no way I can pull what I owe out of nowhere… B-But, I can you pay you back another way… I can work for you!"

Mad-Dog laughs again and leans back in his chair.

"You? Working for me? Look at yourself… You 'aint got the stones to handle what my men do. Plus, why would you think I would even want some pissy boy who can't even handle his debts, working for me? Get out and get my money, you still have until tomorrow."

"B-But-"

"Leave now, or I'll have Asahi start cutting off your fingers. Which is it gonna be?"

Rorona sighs in defeat and turns around. As he begins to head out, he carefully looks at the layout of the room and the way in.

Mad-Dog and his friends watch him leave, before laughing and mocking him to themselves.

* * *

 **Saturday - Abandoned Basement – 17:37**

Hikigaya stands patiently in front of the whiteboard. With his right hand he strokes his chin, while with his left he taps against the picture of the third lieutenant.

"Hmm…"

Just then, the door to the basement opens and Rorona walks in. As he does this, Hachiman turns to him and smiles.

"Good, you're back. I need some help with th-"

"I'm not back." The older of the two interrupts, as he walks over to one of the crates and pushes off the lid.

"Then why are you here?"

Rorona shakes his head, choosing not to answer. Taking the hint, Hikigaya goes back to staring at the whiteboard – which has a map of the Chiba Harbour pasted on. After grabbing a couple guns, flashbangs, and a ski mask, Rorona puts all his items in a duffle bag, then proceeds to head out. The assassin looks at him once, watching him leave.

Back on the street Rorona quickly jogs over to his car, throwing the bag in the back, then getting in the driver's seat. He then starts the engine and begins his drive down the road. The drive is tense, and thoughts of anxiety bounce around in his head rapidly.

Upon reaching his destination, Rorona backs his vehicle up in an alleyway, before getting out and walking over to the rear seat.

'There's no other way…' He thinks to himself, as he opens the door and grabs the balaclava.

He promptly puts it on, then grabs one of the submachine guns and slings it over his shoulder. After taking a pistol and flashbang as well, Rorona breathes a deep breath and looks over at the building across the street.

This is the same building he was in yesterday, aka Mad-Dog's hideout.

Rorona racks the slide on his handgun, then subtly keeps the pistol by his side as he jogs over to the front door.

 _ **KNOCK**_

 _ **KNOCK**_

 _ **KNOCK**_

Just like yesterday, the guard on the other side opens the door – except this time, the guard is met with a gun in his face.

"Get on the floor now!" Rorona yells out, as he brandishes the pistol.

The man says nothing, opting to simply follow the threats and raise his arms in surrender, before kneeling down and laying on the ground.

Rorona considers shooting him the leg like Hikigaya does, but decides it'd be overkill.

Using his memory, he begins running down the hall to where Mad-Dog should be. It barely takes a minute, and soon he arrives at the door to the room. Rorona takes another deep breath, then kicks it in.

As it flies open, Rorona sees Mad-Dog surrounded by guards. Said guards quickly stand up and raise their guns. Rorona fires a shot at one of the mens' legs, but misses miserably. He then fires higher, getting a lucky shot by the man's shoulder. His luck runs out however, when the other guard rushes him through the doorway and tackles him to the ground.

 _ **BANG**_

The gun accidentally fires as Rorona clenches his fist during the struggle. Unfortunately, he is quickly overpowered – considering guards like these are hired specifically for their muscle.

Rorona groans in frustration, as he's put in a headlock and disarmed.

From the table, Mad-Dog slowly stands up with a furious look on his face.

"Oh Rorona… You really screwed up this time."

The guard continues to hold him down, as Mad-Dog shakes his head and sighs.

"Cut his thumb off, then feed to him." He says, turning to one of the guards in the room.

Rorona widens his eyes, trying to think of a way out of this.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Looks like Rorona's really messed things up for himself. Will he get out of it? Who knows. Chapter 44 will be up next week!


	44. With Friends Like These - Part 2

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: After a loan shark from Rorona's past tracks him down, he and 8man get into a brief argument. In a rash decision, Rorona attempts to take down the loan shark solo, failing miserably.

* * *

 **Saturday - Mad-Dog's Safe House – 17:49**

"WAIT!" Rorona yells out in a panic, as one of Mad-Dog's guards restrains him.

"I don't want to hear it Rorona, you brought this on yourself."

The other guard opens up a drawer and pulls out a pair of pruning shears – two sharp blades connected to two thin handles.

"We can make another deal!"

Mad-Dog chuckles loudly.

"You aint got anything I want, except my money."

The guard walks over to Rorona, grabbing his arm. Rorona continues to struggle as he feels the blades wrap around the edges of his thumb.

"I do have something! I have something you want! Just give me a second to tell you!"

Sweat begins dripping off Rorona's forehead, while he pants in terror. The guard with the shears hesitates for a moment, and looks over at his boss. Mad-Dog stares down at Rorona, before nodding.

"You have ten seconds, and if what you're offering ain't something I really want. Say goodbye to your other thumb too."

Rorona sighs loudly, as his panting slows down.

"O-Okay… You know… Recently… There's been a new player in town?"

"A new player?"

"Yeah… There's been a guy going around busting places affiliated with gangs and the like…"

Mad-Dog curiously raises his eyebrow and folds his arms.

"There was a guy who hit one of my arms dealers a couple months back; he shot my guys in the legs and ended up getting them busted. That who you mean?"

"Yes! Yes! He's also responsible for taking down the prostitution ring and recruitment centre…"

"Okay… What about him?"

"I know him… I know where he is! I can g-give him to you…"

Rorona takes a deep breath and looks down at the ground, thinking about his son's life being endanger. Mad-Dog grins at him, before scratching his chin – as if in deep thought.

"You know Rorona, for the screw-up that you are… Sometimes you really do come through."

"Yeah…"

"So tell me, where is he?"

* * *

 **Beano's Café – 19:57**

Hikigaya takes a sip of his coffee, as he looks at Yukinoshita sitting across from him. The two of them are currently seated at a booth in the corner of a café.

"It feels like we meet up a lot lately…" Yukino says, holding her warm mug.

"There's a lot to speak about."

"Well, you called me and told me to come here; I'm here, so what else is it that you wanted to discuss?"

The noise of patrons speaking softly amongst each other fills the small building, along with the strong coffee bean smell.

"There was a man I met a while ago. He was sent by Komanda to kill me and Hiratsuka. I believe that he is still waiting for the right opportunity."

Yukinoshita tenses up as she hears this, then takes a breath.

"Okay…"

"When I met him, he mentioned something about not being able to make a move on Hiratsuka because of you; something about the Yukinoshita's and the Yakuza. I was hoping you could shed more light on this for me."

Hikigaya takes another sip of his coffee, awaiting her response.

"It's kind of complicated… The Yakuza and Yukinoshita's have a long history in Japan. It goes back to the 1600's even."

"What kind of history?"

"A power struggle. The Yukinoshita's have always taken a more subtle and silent approach to our endeavours, where as the Yakuza are and have been a lot more hands-on.

The Yukinoshita's names have been essentially erased from history, but that's by our design. In the past, libraries that contained potentially incriminating documents or accounts about us were burned to the ground, witnesses were intimidated into silence, and we maintained an iron fist over Japan.

Then the Yakuza came along… Since they were more direct, we quickly fell to the wayside for a while, however we've used the digital age to our advantage. Secrecy and information are power now, and we have plenty of that.

Haruno's good with computers, as are most of the people in my family. With these skills the Yakuza were pretty much crushed, but our power didn't last too long.

When Komanda came, he offered my parents a choice – work with him or die. They picked their battles wisely, and now we work closely with him. Komanda's power also prevents Yakuza and Yukinoshita's from fighting.

From what you've told me, I imagine that the reason Komanda's assassin is stuck, is because if he were to attack me - then my parents and family would retaliate. This would create problems in the criminal underworld, and lose Komanda tons of money."

"If this assassin gets to Hiratsuka, then all the work I've been doing will be pointless. It sounds like the only thing standing between him and her, is you..."

Yukinoshita takes a deep breath, then looks Hikigaya straight in the eye.

"You can count on me to keep her safe for now."

* * *

 **Abandoned Basement – 23:59**

Hikigaya lies with his arms spread out on the bed in the hideout. On the floor next to the bed is an empty can of MAX coffee, along with his karambit and submachine gun. Currently, his eyes are closed and he's trying to catch some sleep. His attempt at sleep is broken however, when the door to the basement opens and Rorona walks in.

The assassin opens his eyes, and looks over at his now ex-partner.

"What are you doing here?"

Rorona frowns and slumps his shoulders.

"I'm sorry…"

"For what?"

"You were right, I shouldn't bring my personal problems into this."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah…"

Hachiman sits up from the bed, resting his arms on his knees.

"So, is everything sorted out? Are you ready to get back to work?"

"Yeah; actually I just got a lead that one of Komanda's lieutenants will be meeting an arms dealer later tonight. I'm thinking we can go bust them real quick."

"Where'd you get this lead?" Hikigaya asks, raising an eyebrow.

Rorona looks to the side slightly, and scratches the back of his head.

"You know, old friends…"

Considering that Rorona's never lied before, the assassin accepts this answer and promptly stands up from the bed.

"Fair enough, let's go."

As he heads to the door, Rorona follows behind with a nervous expression on his face.

The car ride to the location the lieutenant is said to be at is quiet, with Hachiman sitting and staring out the window the whole way throughout. Occasionally Rorona would glance over at him, but for the most part kept his eyes on the road.

With it being early morning, the night sky is dark and street and head lights are all that allows people to see where they're going.

As the car pulls up outside an old sawmill, Hikigaya unbuckles his belt and grabs his door handle. He and Rorona then get out the car, and head across the street. The sound of footsteps echo against the tar, as Hachiman's feet tap against the road.

"So what now?" He asks Rorona, as they come up next to each other.

"There's an entrance over there."

Rorona raises his arm and points over to a door next to a large shutter.

After a quick walk, they arrive in front of it. The older of the two pulls on the handle and opens it up, then walks into the sawmill. Hikigaya enters as well, looking around.

"What exactly is this place being used f-"

His sentence is abruptly cut off when a man hiding behind a machine sneaks up behind the assassin and hits him in the back of the head with a crowbar, instantly knocking Hachiman out. Rorona watches as his now unconscious body drops to the floor, feeling guilty.

"Help me move him." The mans says with a grin, looking over at Rorona.

* * *

 **Sunday – Rorona's Apartment – 10:09**

With Hikigaya now captured, Rorona goes home. Despite this being for what he would consider the greater good, Rorona simply can't shake the feeling that he's made a terrible mistake.

Upon arriving at his street, he gets out the car, heads inside the building, then begins climbing the floors to his apartment.

'This had to be done… There was no other option…'

As he reaches inside his pocket to grab his keys, the sight of his front door slightly open catches his attention. Rorona raises an eyebrow and slowly begins walking towards the entrance. From a closer look, it's clear the locks been broken – likely from the door being kicked in.

Rorona quickly rushes into the apartment, looking around frantically. As he enters, he sees a man sitting on his couch drinking a beer.

At a loss for words, he stares with wide-eyes at the man.

"What's up, Rorona?"

He doesn't respond, staying completely still. This causes the man to chuckle, before taking a sip of his beer.

"Yeah, that kind of reaction is expected…"

"W-Where's my son?"

The words just barely come out this time.

"Your son? Oh yeah, my boys just took him a little while ago. Don't worry, he's safe… Kind off. You're lucky he was here though, or we might've had to give your ex a visit."

"M-Ma-Mad-Dog said…"

"Mad-Dog changed his mind." The man interrupts, standing up. "He decided that you could be of some more use to us. Giving us that guy was good, but we still want the money. Pay us back – with interest – and maybe you can see your kid again."

"Y-You lied…"

"What are we in a high school? This is business Rorona, get over it."

The man then takes the last sip of his beer and tosses it onto the apartment floor.

"You're nothing but trash Rorona, and that's all you ever will be. No friends, and if you don't pay us back, no family either."

With that, the man walks past Rorona to the doorway, patting him on the back.

"Good luck, since-"

Before the sentence is finished, Rorona grabs the man by his fingers, then suddenly snaps the bones.

"AHHH!"

He screams out in pain, dropping to his knees. As he does so, Rorona kicks him hard in the face, knocking several teeth out of place. Blood begins pouring from the man's mouth, as he wreathes around trying to get his bearings.

With a blank expression, Rorona kneels down and grabs the man by his collar, then proceeds to drag him across the floor and out the apartment doorway.

* * *

 **Sawmill – 13:45**

Hikigaya slowly opens his eyes, as he feels a pounding headache come on. The first thing he sees when he opens his eyes is his thighs, which are sat down on a chair. He feels ropes connecting his ankles to the legs of the chair, with his wrists bound behind the back. The strong lumber smell catches his attention, making him feel almost sick at its potency. The next thing he notices is the sound of people speaking.

His head is currently hanging limp, as he is pretending to still be unconscious. If he were to look up, it'd be revealed to any onlookers that he's awake.

'Last thing I remember is arriving at the sawmill with Rorona… Then everything's blank. It's interesting that I'm alive though…'

The assassin slowly turns his head, trying to get a better view.

"What are we gonna do with Rorona's kid?" One of the voices asks.

"I'm thinking we sell him, or throw him into the ocean."

"Bit much don't you agree? I mean, it's a kid…"

"What do you think we should do with him?" The other voice replies, sounding annoyed.

"I mean I don't know…"

"Exactly. If by chance Rorona gets the money, we'll let him see his kid one more time for taking them both out. No witnesses."

"Goddamn…"

Hikigaya sighs softly and clenches his fist, silently cursing Rorona under his breath as he begins to understand the situation.

One of the men standing a few metres away, sees Hachiman's lips moving and walks over to him. Without hesitation, the man grabs him by the hair and pulls his head up. Hikigaya opens his eyes, staring up at his captor.

This man is Mad-Dog, and he has a less than pleasant grin on his face.

"My men and I have been looking for you for a while now, ever since you robbed one of our storage centres."

The assassin says nothing and continues eyeing Mad-Dog.

"What did you do will all those guns anyway? Sell them?"

"Hey boss, can we just kill this clown and get over with it. I wanna go home already." One of the grunts says, leaning against a pillar.

Mad-Dog looks over at his man and scowls.

"Kill him? This is why you idiots aren't where I am. This guy's worth a million bucks. Komanda will owe us big time if we hand him over to the Five-Stars."

"Yeah boss, I didn't think of that – sorry."

As Hachiman feels the grip on his hair release, he closes his eyes for a moment and takes a deep breath.

"But before we give him away, we're gonna have a little fun."

Mad-Dog then reaches behind his back and pulls out a wrench he had stuffed in between his jeans and his belt. He swings the tool straight at the side of Hikigaya's face – knocking him and the chair over onto the ground.

Some blood drips from his cheek, but Hachiman takes the hit – opting to see where this goes.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Chapter 45 will be up next week!


	45. With Friends Like These - Part 3

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: Rorona gets 8man captured. What will happen next? Find out!

* * *

 **Sunday - Rorona's Apartment Building – 21:26**

Yukinoshita slowly climbs each step up the staircase, as she heads to the roof of Rorona's building. Just thirty minutes earlier he gave her a call, telling her to meet him here urgently.

This is quite strange, considering the two of them usually don't speak, and all information they could share, filters between Hikigaya. Regardless, she comes anyway, curious to see what's going on.

As Yukino arrives at the top of the stairs, she opens the door leading out onto the roof, then proceeds to walk through.

"Rorona?" She yells out, trying to get his attention.

There is no response, and she begins looking around to try and find him.

"Rorona?"

After calling out for a second time, there is a response.

"I'm over here!"

Yukinoshita follows the sound to behind a large ventilation unit. As she turns the machines corner, she finds Rorona – and someone else.

"Oh my God…"

Tied to a telephone pole connected to the building, is a man with bloody face and clothes.

"What the hell is this?" She asks, quickly taking her scarf and raising it over her mouth to hide her identity.

"It's a long story…" Rorona responds, as he stares at the man.

"Tell me, because this is serious. Who is this? Where is Hikigaya?"

Rorona takes a deep breath and closes his eyes.

"I got in trouble with a loan shark a while back. They kidnapped my kid to strong arm me into paying them back."

"Wow…"

"Yeah…"

"Where's Hikigaya?"

"They got him too…"

Yukino's eyes widen further, and she looks over at Rorona, then back at the man.

"Is Hikigaya...?"

"No… I think they wanted to give him to Komanda."

"Komanda's involved in this?"

Rorona turns to her.

"Yep."

"If Hikigaya dies, we're screwed."

"Indeed…"

"And so is your kid."

"Yeah…"

Yukinoshita walks over to the man and takes a closer look at him.

"Does this guy know their locations?"

"I think so."

"Have you interrogated him?"

"I tried, but I don't really have it in me."

There is a brief silence, as the cold winds blow along the rooftop.

"Okay… I'll get it out of him."

"Just like that?"

"Yeah… Give me a minute."

Rorona nods and slowly walks away.

As he leaves, Yukino reaches into her pocket and pulls out her knife. She flicks the handle, prompting the blade to come out, then taps the edge softly against the bloody man's head.

"Wake up…" She orders sternly, still using one hand to hold her scarf over her face.

The man's eyes slowly open, and he smiles at her. It's clear several of his teeth are missing, and the remaining – broken – ones are stained with blood.

"What's up, Sweetheart?" He greets, slurring his words.

She ignores him and turns around. Yukinoshita then kneels down and stabs the blade of her knife onto the roof, causing some of the tiling to crack. The next thing she does is take her knife and cut off a piece of her scarf. She proceeds to wrap some of the broken tile with the scarf's material, then stands up.

"I believe you know the locations of Hachiman Hikigaya and Rorona's son. What do you have to say to that?" She asks, as she walks back towards the man.

"Ha, and what if I did?" He responds, smiling.

"Then that means you're lucky…"

"Why is that?"

"Because…"

Yukinoshita raises the material holding the tiles.

"I'm going to shove this down your throat, then pull it back out – then do it again and again."

"Wait, what?"

"Eventually it will eviscerate your vocal cords, and you'll lose your ability to speak. That's when I'll ask you to tell me where Hikigaya and the child are. Of course, since you will no longer be able to create sentences – I'll have you write it down."

The man's eyes widen.

"If you refuse to write it down, then I'll break your fingers. From there, I'll break each of your arms, then your legs, then your ribs and so on. When you are left with no ability to tell me what I want to know, I will believe that you truly do not possess this information."

She grabs the man by his jaw.

"If you are lucky, you'll die before we're finished. So understand that I'm only going to ask you once, before taking away your speech – Where are they?"

Hearing her cold voice runs chills down his spine, as he imagines the each segment of the torture.

"P-Please, I'll tell! I'll tell you!"

* * *

 **Chiba Streets – 22:10 **

Yukinoshita quietly jogs down a pavement in a not-so-good area. Some homeless people can be seen lying about, with a car occasionally driving past. In her one hand is a cellphone, and in the other – her knife.

According to Mad-Dog's man, Hikigaya and Deishuu are being held in two different safe houses on the opposite ends of town.

He also said that Mad-Dog was considering sending the kid over to traffickers, perhaps to make a quick buck. The traffickers are only in town fleetingly – so if Mad-Dog was going to give Deishuu away, then it'd be tonight.

This means that time is of the essence. It also means that Yukino and Rorona had to split up. If either one of the safe-houses got word of an attack – it's likely they'd just kill Hikigaya or Deishuu.

With this information in mind, there is no room for errors.

"Okay, I'm here…" Yukinoshita says into her phone, as she brings the device up to her ear.

The building in front of her is large, with several broken and boarded up windows.

 _"Already?"_ Rorona responds surprised.

"Yes. Have you arrived yet?"

 _"Pretty much."_

"Good; remember to take out anyone with a phone first. We need to stall contact as long as possible."

Her voice is commanding and stern, but still somewhat respectful.

 _"I'm ready when you are."_

Yukino taps the end call button on her phone, then puts it in her pocket. She then takes her scarf and wraps it around her mouth, nose and forehead, leaving only her eyes visible. She also ties a knot at the back, so as to make sure it doesn't come off at any point.

After that, she begins walking towards the door, clutching her knife tightly.

Given the location of this safe-house and the time constraints, it wasn't possible for her to get a gun. This makes things harder, but Yukinoshita is confident in her abilities.

 _ **BANG**_

She gives the door a hard kick, effortlessly knocking the weak wood off it's hinges. From there, Yukino enters and begins walking down the hall. As she walks, a door to her left opens and a man comes out.

The moment they make eye contact he reaches for his gun, but she quickly kicks him in the throat. This stops his fumbling, but also causes him to fall backwards into the room and onto a table where several other men are sitting around.

They all stand up, dropping their cards, and run out into the hallway.

As the first man exits, Yukinoshita grabs him by his wrist and shoulder, then knees the side of his elbow, breaking his arm. The man suddenly begins yelling out in pain and drops down on one leg. She takes the opportunity to grab his pistol and fire it into the remaining men. Bullets hit their legs and shoulders, disabling them.

The bullets are loud though, and instantly alert the rest of the building. Yukino begins sprinting down the hall, questioning where to go.

As she runs, some of the men turn a corner, stopping her in her path. She raises the gun at them at them and pulls the trigger several times.

 _ **CLICK  
CLICK  
CLICK**_

Sadly the bullets were emptied earlier, as she expected.

Wasting no time, Yukinoshita drops the magazine from the gun and throws it at one of the men. It instantly knocks him out, causing all the others to look over at him. Distracted, she kicks the next man in the shin, then takes her knife and stabs it into the back of his thigh.

 _ **PUH**_

One of the men does get a hit on her though, punching her in the face.

Yukino stumbles backwards, as blood begins to drip from her cheek. From behind, another man grabs and begins choking her. She struggles, but seemingly to no avail. After a good few seconds, she widely opens her mouth and bites the man's arm – hard.

This causes him to loosen his grip, and she quickly throws him over her shoulder, then kicks him in the face.

The rest of the men continue to wail on Yukinoshita. Most of them get blocked, deflected, or redirected – but some of their hits make it through. Her adrenaline and pain suppression training carry her on, but the attacks add up.

 _ **SLAM**_

As the final man's head hits the wall, and his unconscious body begins to lethargically slide to the floor, Yukino feels a wave of exhaustion hit her. She looks at men all lying around her, then drops to her knees. Sweat drips from her face and hands, and she feels the intense urge to sleep.

Of course, this isn't possible, and Yukinoshita begins stumbling back up on her feet – leaning against the wall.

From the very end of the hallway, she hears the faint sound of crying. The journey there feels much longer than it really is, and as she's walking - one of the men grabs her leg. A kick to the face does the trick, and she is soon back on her way.

As she arrives at the door, she notices it's slightly open ajar. Yukino walks inside and finds a crying boy lying on a dirty floor. He backs away in fear when he sees her, scared for his life.

This prompts the wealthy-girl to remove her makeshift mask, revealing a tired smile on a bloody face.

"I'm… Here to t-take you home…"

* * *

 **Sawmill – 22:19**

"Jeez Boss, don't you think that's enough?" A man leaning against one of the machines in the sawmill asks with a worried expression.

Mad-Dog looks over at him angrily, then points his crowbar at the man.

"I already told you to shut up… It'll be enough when I say it's enough."

"Yeah but-"

"But nothing! Nobody screws with me."

By Mad-Dog's feet, Hikigaya lays down – still strapped to the chair – with blood dripping from the side of his head and out from his mouth.

There is bruising around his face, with quite a striking black eye.

"Bet you regret stealing from me now." Mad-Dog declares, as he lifts Hachiman up.

The assassin smiles slightly and shakes his head. This clearly upsets Mad-Dog, who hits him with crowbar again.

"I'll give it to you, you're a tough kid. It's a shame I'm just giving you away, since you'd make a fine asset."

Looking to the side, Hikigaya notices a figure outside the sawmill window.

"That's funny…"

Mad-Dog raises an eyebrow.

"What's funny?"

"It's funny th-that you still believe you're in control of this situation."

His aching jaw causes some stutter, but Hachiman gets the words out well enough – causing Mad-Dog to laugh.

"You know what? That is funny; you're strapped to a chair, you've been beaten for hours. Soon you'll be sent to your death. I don't know if you've gone insane, but I'm in control!"

Hikigaya looks up at him, giving his captor a cold stare.

"Rorona's an i-idiot… But he's a good enough guy… If I were to escape any earlier – one of your men would probably radio to have his kid killed. So I waited… And let you have your fun. I've given Rorona enough time though…"

Mad-Dog grins and looks around at his men, before raising his arms in a T-Pose.

"So, you're gonna kill me then?"

"I haven't decided…"

A moment later, Hachiman pulls a piece of the ropes binding his arms, loosening them. He then leaps from the chair, punching Mad-Dog in the throat, before getting him in a choke-hold.

The several men surrounding them take a second to register what's happened, and quickly try and get their weapons out. Unfortunately for them, they're not quick enough – leaving the assassin with a hostage.

"You think my men will let you just walk out of here?" Mad-Dog asks, as he struggles against the hold.

"Your men aren't the only ones in the building."

A few seconds later, the lights go off, causing said men to look around frantically. The sound of gunshots begin echoing throughout the sawmill, followed by grunts and screams.

Hikigaya holds tightly against Mad-Dog, as he backs away to a corner so as to not get hit by any of the stray bullets.

After about thirty seconds, the lights begin flickering, before turning back on permanently. As the room is illuminated, Rorona can be seen by one of the pillars surrounded by men clutching their legs and shoulders. In his hands is a large rifle, with a night vision scope on the top.

 _ **PUH**_

The assassin suddenly smashes Mad-Dog's head into the wall, knocking the man out and causing his body to curl over.

"Took you long enough…" Hachiman says, as he steps over the body.

"Well yeah, I…"

"It's fine, I had it handled."

Rorona frowns, then nods.

"Yeah… You always do."

"Help me disarm them."

Hikigaya bends down by Mad-Dog and removes the man's revolver. Rorona similarly turns around and kneels down by one of the men he shot earlier. He searches the man for a gun, picks it up, then turns back to Hachiman.

As he turns, Rorona sees the assassin pointing the revolver at him.

"Do you remember what I said to you when we started working together?"

"Yes…"

They stare intensely into each other's eyes. Hikigaya's cold dead stare runs a chill down Rorona's spine, as he feels the mental weight of the gun being aimed at him.

"Tell me what I said."

He takes a deep breath.

"You said if I c-crossed you… Then I wouldn't live to regret it."

"That's right. So answer this for me, Rorona – if you knew that I made a promise to kill you, why would you try and save me?"

Rorona closes his eyes and sighs.

"I'm a screw-up… I've never made good decisions… I lost everything in my life. My home, my friends, my wife. It's all been my fault. I couldn't lose my kid too…"

Hachiman continues staring emotionlessly.

"But then it dawned on me, that all the screw ups I've made were because I was selfish. I only thought about how things affected me, and that's why I lost so much.

The reason I came here knowing full well what you'd do – is because I had to make sure that you didn't die. You're important Hachiman, you're important to people.

Us taking down just two of Komanda's lieutenants, have saved countless lives, but the only reason we could do it, was because of you. The people here cannot afford to lose you now… But me? Well, it's like you said – I'm replaceable."

The air goes silent, and Hikigaya considers everything. After a long few seconds, he slowly lowers the gun.

"I think it's time we go home, Rorona…"

* * *

 **Wednesday - Chiba Park – 08:07**

Rorona stands with his arms folded, leaning against a tree. On his face is a warm smile, as he watches Deishuu kicking his ball around on the grass. The birds are chirping, and the sun is shining. It's a good day.

People can be seen walking about or sitting on picnic blankets, and there are a few dogs running together as well.

Behind him, Rorona hears the faint sound of twigs cracking under someone's shoe.

"Hi." Hikigaya greets, as walks up to the right side of the tree.

"Hey…"

From the other side, Yukinoshita strolls into view.

"Hello."

The three of them look at each other for a moment, then all shift their focus to Deishuu.

"Rorona, I can't guarantee that if we work together – your kid will always be safe. I also can't guarantee that if something were to happen, we'd be able to save him again."

Hachiman's words are firm, but rather warm.

"I know." The older of the two responds. "I understand the risk."

"Good. We'll be looking into the next lieutenant soon. Yukinoshita and I were walking and we saw you, but we have things to discuss"

With that, the assassin turns around.

Yukino looks over at Rorona and nods, acknowledging him. She then walks past the tree and towards Hachiman. As she passes him, Rorona gently grabs her by the arm – stopping her in her tracks.

The wealthy-girl looks up at him and raises an eyebrow.

"Thank you; truly."

"It's no problem, Rorona."

Suddenly, Yukinoshita feels someone else grab her waist from behind. She turns around and sees Deishuu, hugging tightly against her.

"Hi, Yukino!" He yells out, as he looks up at her.

She smiles, then kneels down in front of him.

"How are you doing?"

"I'm great! Do you want to play with me?"

"Umm…"

Yukinoshita considers what to do, looking over at Hikigaya who is waiting for her.

"It's fine, we'll meet up later." He says, waving his palm.

Deishuu grins and takes Yukino's hand, he then attempts to pull towards his ball. She allows this and begins jogging along with him. Rorona look at them with a happy expression, before turning and watching as his partner walks off.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Looks like everything's okay, for the most part. Chapter 46 will be up next week!


	46. Harboured Contempt - Part 1

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: With Mad-Dog out of the picture and Deishuu safe, Rorona and 8man find themselves a team once again.

* * *

 **Friday – Abandoned Basement – 17:09**

"Uhhh… What are you doing?!" Rorona asks, as he sees Yukinoshita and Hikigaya walk in through the door, both holding monitors.

"Yukino will be helping us on this mission." Hachiman responds, as he places one of the monitors on a desk.

Rorona chuckles, as the other monitor is placed next to it.

"Yukino?" He repeats. "Are you guys on a first name basis now?"

"We thought it best to drop all formalities, now that we're working together." The wealthy-girl responds, adjusting the screens.

While she does this, Hikigaya quickly jogs over to the entrance and picks up a large desktop tower. He then carries it back to the desk and sets it down under the table.

"What's with all the computer stuff then?"

"While you and I are in the field, Yukino will run support from here. We set up security cameras in her apartment, so she can watch Hiratsuka as well."

Rorona leans against one of the crates and folds his arms.

"Okay… That sounds good, but what do we need support for?"

Yukinoshita pulls a chair over to the desk and sits down, she then begins plugging cables into her tower.

"My older sister taught me a lot about computers and security systems when we were growing up. Databases, bank accounts, websites etc. all hold valuable information. When you and Hachiman are knocking heads together, I can give you real time information on what's happening around you."

The assassin nods and sits down on his own chair.

"So far, us busting Hiroshi and Miyuki was pretty much based on luck. We were at the right place at the right time; with Yukino in our ears, we can keep things more organized."

"In our ears?" Rorona repeats, raising an eyebrow.

Suddenly, Hikigaya tosses him a small device. Rorona catches it, then looks down at said device.

"It's an earpiece." Yukinoshita answers pre-emptively. "It'll allow me to speak to you whenever. Simply connect it to your phone and we'll have a clear signal. They're also encrypted, so we won't have to worry about any unwanted listeners."

"We should get started right away." Hachiman says, looking over at Rorona.

Rorona nods at him and walks over to the whiteboard. He turns it towards Yukinoshita and Hikigaya, then points to the third picture at the bottom.

"This Norio Nagayama. He currently runs the Port of Chiba, aka the largest port in all of Japan. With this, he can smuggle pretty much anything into the country."

Yukino types something into her computer, then speaks.

"Apparently, he's being investigated by the police."

"What do they have on him?"

"I'm not sure… Whatever it is, it hasn't been recorded digitally. At least not as far as I can see."

The assassin sighs and stands up from his chair.

"Well, we can't wait around for something to fall on our laps. Let's go check out this port."

* * *

 **Chiba Streets – 18:07**

Detective Touma turns his car's steering wheel, as he drives into a new neighbourhood.

Earlier today, his precinct's captain assigned him to go pick up and take possession of a key witness in a high-profile case. The witness is currently being held at a safehouse with two officers, awaiting his transfer.

As Reo gently presses his foot against the brakes, the car stops next to a small house. He quickly gets out, leaving the vehicle running.

After a short walk past the street, he climbs up the two steps leading onto the porch. On his way, the detective can't help but notice a large white van parked across the street. He raises an eyebrow, as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out the keys the captain gave him. Upon inserting the key into the door's lock, Touma suddenly hears a loud bang come from inside the house.

'Gunshot?'

The key is quickly turned, and the door opened. Without hesitation, he runs inside while simultaneously pulling his handgun out the holster.

After jogging through the hall, Reo finds one of the officers clutching their stomach as blood pools on the floor.

 _ **BANG**_

 _ **BANG**_

 _ **BANG**_

Three shots suddenly ring out, with two bullets hitting the wall next to the detective's head. The third bullet hits a mirror, causing glass to fall everywhere.

Touma quickly kneels down and grabs the officer by the legs, he then pulls the man to safety, before taking cover himself.

"There's only one door in and out of this place! You'll have to go through me if you want to escape! So just give up!" He yells out at the attackers.

Instead of taking his advice, they ignore him and shuffle around in the other room.

After one long minute, one of them yells something back to Reo.

"We have the other policeman. If you don't come out, we'll kill him and then the witness."

Touma clutches his weapon hard, as he considers what to do. After a few seconds, he drops his gun and turns the corner with his hands raised in surrender. As he turns the corner however, he is greeted with the officer who was said to be a hostage holding a gun aimed at Touma. The witness can also be seen with a bag over his head, restrained by the other attacker.

"Son of a b-"

A shot is fired, hitting Touma in the shoulder. Blood splatters across the wall, as he hits the floor hard. The officer and his partner quickly pull the witness along, as they head out the house.

On the floor, Reo clutches his wound hard.

* * *

 **Port Of Chiba – 20:08**

"So, what exactly are we looking for?" Rorona asks, as he walks along the concrete through the port.

"Not sure… " Hikigaya responds, looking around.

The two are walking side-by-side, stepping over pools of oil and around machines that have been placed about. The port is dark, with only a few places lit up. Large shipping containers can be seen stacked on top of one another as well.

 _"I have the plans for the harbour on my computer. It looks like there's an office in a small building on the South-West side. Head there."_

Yukinoshita's words are straight to the point, as usual.

"Hey, I only take orders from Hachiman." Rorona says with a small smile. "He's the scary ninja, after all."

"I don't know… Yukino's pretty scary too, Rorona."

As they change directions, the assassin notices something at the other end of the port. More accurately, he notices _someone_ at the other end of the port.

Hikigaya squints his eyes and ducks by one of the crates. Rorona does so as well, though not knowing one hundred percent why.

"What's going?!"

"I think… I think that's the detective who's been chasing me."

This is true, and about fifty metres away is the wounded Touma angrily walking through the harbour, clutching his shoulder.

"What the hell is he doing here?"

"Not sure… Perhaps he realized that we're coming after Norio."

 _"Whatever his reason is, make sure to stay out of his way. If he realizes you two are there, it's likely he'll radio for backup."_

"Got it." Hachiman confirms with a nod. "We'll just come back tomorro-"

Before he can finish speaking, he sees two men sneaking up from behind Touma. They seem to be following him. Rorona notices these two as well, before also noticing one is holding a gun.

"Oh shit!"

He quickly begins sprinting towards the men. Hachiman sees the gun too and follows closely behind his partner.

As the two of them get closer to the men following Touma, they slow down so as to hide the sound of their footsteps. Hikigaya and Rorona look at each other, nod, then split up.

A few moments later, one of the men is grabbed from behind, then pulled to the back of a shipping container. His friend is grabbed next, and is silently pulled to the same container.

The men struggle against their captors, as they're sat down on the ground.

"Why are you following that detective?" Hachiman asks sternly, as he points his handgun at the two men and backs up.

They both raises their hands, as they get their bearings.

"Hey don't shoot me, bro! It's not what you think!" One of the men says, making eye contact with Hikigaya.

As this happens, the assassin's face goes blank for a few moments, before he slowly lowers his gun.

Rorona looks at him with a confused expression.

"What's wrong?"

"I know these guys…"

* * *

 **South West End, Port Of Chiba – 20:31**

Touma continues clutching his aching shoulder, as blood spills out. The wound isn't serious enough for a hospital, but painful enough for him to not be able to ignore it.

Before he was sent to collect the witness, the precinct's captain explained that the witness was planning on testifying against the man running the port. This has led Reo to believe it was in fact Norio who had the witness taken from the safehouse, perhaps through the bribing of the officer.

With one hand on his wound and the other on his gun holster, Touma notices and begins to head in the direction of an office – which can be seen lit up.

After a short walk, he arrives at his destination. The office itself is a few metres off the ground, being held up by pillars. A metal staircase can be seen leading up to the door. Under the staircase, are a few crates. One of the lids of the crates seems to be slightly open – catching the detective's attention.

Reo removes his hand from his holster and reaches out, before pushing the long rectangular lid to the side. As he does so, a couple of AK-47s are revealed to be sitting in the crate.

Upon finding this, he widens his eyes and slowly pulls his phone out of his pocket.

'Looks like I'll be needing some backup.'

He begins tapping the screen, dialling the number of his partner – Karen. This is interrupted however, when a gun's safety clicks from behind him, followed by a voice.

"Put down the phone, Detective."

Touma sighs, and slowly turns his head. As he does so, he sees Mason, standing with a handgun raised. Mason is also holding the gun with a cloth, so as to not leave any fingerprints on the weapon.

* * *

 **North East End, Port Of Chiba – 20:32**

"What do you mean you know these guys?" Rorona responds with a confused expression.

Hikigaya looks at both men's faces, easily recalling them.

"They're bounty hunters. I met them on a train here in Japan about a year ago."

"You also shot us! Can you not do that again…" One of the men interjects.

Both of them are dressed in cheap suits, just like back on the train. Michael's is grey, while his friend Keith's is a dark blue. Michael also has curly brown hair, with Keith having a short crewcut. Both men are pretty standard Caucasians.

"What are you doing here?" Hachiman asks, raising an eyebrow.

Neither men respond, prompting the assassin to raise his gun again. This seems to work, and Keith backs up against the shipping container.

"We were hired by some dude to follow a detective around!"

Michael nods in agreement, raising his arms as well.

"Who hired you?"

"Not sure… We just take whatever jobs we can get. Usually through sketchy websites... Half the money was wired to us upfront, and the employer dude said he'd give us the rest when we were done."

"Done with what?"

Keith shrugs his shoulders.

"Done following the detective… I guess."

The answer causes Hikigaya to scoff, then chuckle.

"You got paid a flat rate for a job with no end in sight? Why not opt for weekly payments? You'd make better money."

"We're not pros like you…"

There is a brief silence, as Rorona and Hachiman glance over at each other.

"How much did you get paid upfront?" The assassin asks, looking back at the two men.

"Twenty-five thousand yen."

Hikigaya lowers the gun and returns it to behind his back.

"Alright, I'll give you guys half that if you help my partner and I on this mission, and also drop your contract with your employer – effective immediately."

"Woah, woah, woah." Michael says with a worried expression. "Why would we work with you for half the money we would get."

"Because if you don't, I'll shoot you both in the head and throw you into the water."

His words are cold but casual, causing an awkward silence between the four of them.

"You should take the offer." Rorona advises. "Because I'm the one who's going to have to dump your bodies after shoots you – not exactly something I'm too fond of."

This convinces them, prompting both Michael and Keith to begin nodding frantically with scared smiles on their faces.

"Great." Hachiman says as he turns around. "You three look around and stay close to the detective – make sure he doesn't get into any trouble."

Rorona frowns.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to go see if I can find Norio, perhaps we can end this quicker than the last two times."

With that, the assassin begins walking away – with Rorona, Michael, and Keith watching him leave.

As he heads off, Yukinoshita asks something through the earpiece.

 _"I was listening to your exchange; you weren't really thinking about killing them, were you?"_

Hikigaya puts his hands in his pockets and smiles.

"Don't worry, Yukino – I'll never be as homicidal as you."

 _"That doesn't answer the question…"_

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** If you don't remember Keith and Michael, I believe they first appeared around chapter 21. Thanks for reading! Be sure to leave a review once in a while too!


	47. Harboured Contempt - Part 2

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: Yukino, Hachiman and Rorona agree to start working together regularly, while Detective Touma's important witness is kidnapped! His search leads him to the Port of Chiba, run by one of Komanda's lieutenants. Hachiman and Rorona also find themselves there, running into two old bounty hunters Hachiman met on a train on one of his old missions.

* * *

 **South West End, Port Of Chiba – 20:39**

"So… How is Hiratsuka?" Hikigaya asks, as he walks past some crates on his way to the office.

 _"Why do you want to know?"_

Even through the microphone, the suspicious expression on Yukinoshita's face is obvious.

"Just curious."

There is a brief silence, before she responds.

 _"Hiratsuka's fine, I suppose. Her life is in no immediate danger, but that's at the expense of fun; so I would assume she's bored."_

"Last time we spoke, she seemed upset."

 _"Well, Hiratsuka usually is upset when you come up, so that would make sense."_

"I can't imagine I come up often."

 _"No… Not anymore."_

Hachiman continues walking, seeing the lit up office now close by.

"Do you still think my reasons for taking down Komanda are selfish?"

 _"Do you think I believe you care what I think?"_

"I'm just curious… There's no need to be so... professional."

A few moments later, he stops walking, arriving at his destination.

"Okay, I'm here." He says, abruptly ending their exchange. "What's the security like?"

 _"I have a bunch of bank statements in front of me, but none list anything about security guards. It's likely if there are any, that they were contracted under the table by Norio – or supplied by Komanda."_

The office has two ways in, one back door on the ground floor and another that is suspended off the ground. The metal staircase is needed to get up to the front door. At present, Hikigaya is standing by the backdoor to the office – which is lit up by a small light on the wall.

"When I took down Miyuki, the first lieutenant, I thought that would get rid of Komanda's men."

 _"In a lot of ways it did; if Miyuki's club was still recruiting, it's likely this place would be crawling with security. That being said, don't underestimate how many people are in the building in front of you – especially if there's anything of value inside."_

Suddenly, the sound of someone screaming catches the assassin's attention.

"Did you hear that?" He asks into his earpiece.

 _"Hear what?"_

"There was a scream, coming from inside the office."

 _"Wait, let me see if I can-"_

"No, I'm going in."

Hachiman pulls out his karambit and begins walking towards the door's lock.

 _"Be patient. I might be able to get the plans to the building."_

The sound of screaming repeats, this time louder and longer.

"You do that, but I'm still going in."

 _ **CRANK**_

The lock breaks apart, as Hikigaya uses his karambit on it. He then kicks in the door and walks through. As he does so, he raises his handgun up.

Going through the doorway leads to a brightly lit hall, where a couple of doors can be seen. It takes his eyes a moment to adjust to the light, given how stark a contrast it is from the darkness outside.

Suddenly, two men run out from one of the rooms, hearing the door kicked in. However, before they can do anything, a shot to the leg disables each of them.

 _ **PSEW**_

 _ **PSEW**_

As the shots echo through the halls, Hachiman begins sprinting, step over their writhing bodies. For the third time, the person inside screams – giving him a clear origin.

Hikigaya runs down a few halls, then climbs the stairs up to the second floor. A few guards try stop him along the way, but are effortlessly dealt with.

"AHHH!"

The scream is closer than ever, and Hachiman kicks down the door directly next to him. However, when he runs in – there is simply a chair sat in the middle of an empty room. On wall opposite the door, is a large mirror showing the assassin his reflection.

"Yukino? Do you have anything for me?"

There is a brief silence, as he listens to the sound of her typing on her keyboard.

 _"I've matched your earpieces location to the ones of the blueprint. You should be in a large room right now."_

He looks around, before shaking his head.

"No, it's actually pretty small."

The typing starts again.

 _"Okay… According to some old bank statements there were renovations done. Do you see a really big mirror anywhere?"_

"Yes."

 _"Break it."_

Hikigaya nods, then grabs the chair in the middle of the room and throws it towards the glass. Not a moment later it shatters, revealing two men in a room connected to the other side of the mirror.

One of them men is holding an axe and standing up, while the other is sitting in a chair with his feet in a bucket of water. Both are covered in blood, though it looks like the source of said blood is the man sitting on the chair with a terrified expression on his beat-up face.

 _ **PSEW**_

Hachiman fires a shot at the other man, then quickly steps into the other room.

"W-Who are?" The person being tortured asks.

"I'm here to help. It looks like you were being kept in a dual torture chamber, but that's not a problem anymore."

"H-Help? Are you with the police?"

He takes the man by the arm and helps him stand up.

"Not exactly…"

* * *

 **South West End, Port Of Chiba – 20:43**

"It's you…"

Touma's words come out cold, as he looks into Mason's eyes.

Currently, the two of them are standing a few metres away from each other, with Mason's gun raised and aimed at the detective.

"It's been a while, Detective."

There is a tense silence, prompting Komanda's assassin to grin.

"Earlier today, a witness I was sent to collect was kidnapped. I suspect he was brought here. After finding these guns, I think my suspicions are right." Touma says bitterly.

"And what if he was brought here? What would you do about it?"

Reo takes a deep breath.

"I'd find him, then call in backup – before having you and everyone here arrested."

"Honest to a fault… I suppose you know that I can't allow that?"

"I know that whoever you work for is smart and wouldn't kill a cop, especially on his own property."

"You've gravely mistaken what my employer is willing – or in this case – not willing to do."

"Then take the shot…"

Mason slowly slides his finger over the trigger, aligning the sights with the detective's head. As he does this, Touma smiles then speaks again.

"It won't do you much good after all."

He turns his phone screen towards Mason, revealing that he's got the Chiba Precinct on the line.

"That's not good…"

"Backup will be here any second."

Before Mason can say or do anything, several shots ring out from the office behind Touma. They both look towards it, raising their eyebrows. Reo clutches hard at his wound, wondering if they just killed the witness. He's worries are calmed slightly though, when he sees a similar confused expression on Mason's face.

A few moments later, there a more shots – before silence. Then from around the corner, Hikigaya walks out with the witness's arm around his shoulder, helping the injured man walk.

Hachiman makes eye contact with Touma, then Mason. On his face remains a bored expression as all four of them stand there, staring.

* * *

 **North East End, Port Of Chiba – 20:44**

Rorona folds his arms and raises an eyebrow at the two men sitting in front of him.

"So… You guys are bounty hunters?"

His attempt at small talk is obvious, prompting Michael to sigh, as he rests his arms on his knees.

"Yeah, we are."

"And you know Hachiman?"

Keith chuckles.

"Know him? We met him, like, last year on a train, just like he said. It wasn't exactly love at first sight – the dude shot us both in the leg!"

This causes Rorona to chuckle too.

"He did the same to me!"

They all laugh for a moment, before Rorona extends his hand.

"The name's Rorona, nice to meet you."

Michael takes his hand and shakes, then introduces himself. Keith proceeds to do the same.

A few seconds later, Michael scratches his chin and squints his eyes.

"Hey, didn't that kid tell us to do something?"

"He told us to watch the detective." Rorona says, folding his arms again.

"And where is the detective?"

Rorona leans a bit to the side, looking past the shipping container that the three of them are sitting behind. As he does so, he sees Touma with his hands raised. Just in front of the detective, is Mason holding a gun.

"Oh shit…"

* * *

 **South West End, Chiba Harbour – 20:50**

"Hachiman Hikigaya..." Mason says, as they make eye-contact.

The tension rises drastically, and Touma backs up slightly, needing a moment to register his suspect is just a few metres away – with the witness no less.

"Run, hide." Hachiman whispers into said witness's ear, as he removes the man's arm from around his shoulder and walks slightly to the side.

The witness does what he's told and begins limping in the opposite direction of his saviour, before crouching behind some crates. Neither Reo or Mason notice this, as both of their eyes follow the assassin as he walks to the side.

The way the area is lit up allows Hachiman to stand just in the darkness, making his face difficult for the detective to see.

Suddenly, Mason shifts his aim from Touma to Hikigaya – before firing a few shots. Hikigaya quickly dives out the way, then starts firing his own gun towards Mason.

Right as Komanda's assassin moves back towards some cover, he feels the barrel of a gun touch his shoulder. When he looks around, he sees two men – Keith and Michael – holding him at gunpoint.

Touma feels a similar sensation, as Rorona comes up behind him, gun raised as well.

"Nobody move!" Rorona yells out.

The detective grits his teeth, as he sees Rorona from over his shoulder.

"It's you!"

"Just calm down, we're here to help."

Hachiman walks towards them, standing in the middle of Reo and Mason, as they're held at gunpoint by his allies.

"Hello… Both of you."

Touma tries to get a good look at his face, but can only barely make out his features.

"So you kidnapped my witness? Does your menacing ever end?"

"I didn't kidnap your witness, Detective." Hikigaya says emotionlessly, before pointing at Mason. "He did."

Mason grins, then chimes in.

"Have you decided to hand over Shizuka yet?"

The assassin doesn't respond, opting simply to walk over to Mason to disarm him.

"I'll take that as a no…" Mason says, before kicking Keith in the shin and turning around.

He then punches Michael in the stomach and grabs his gun. Hachiman thinks fast, and raises his weapon up. Before he can fire it, Mason roundhouse kicks the gun out his hands, then uses Michael's gun to shoot Keith and his partner each in the leg .

"Not again!" Keith yells out, as he writhes around on the floor.

Before Mason gets an opportunity to shoot Hikigaya, he feels himself get punched in the throat, then have the gun pulled out his hands. Right as it's pulled away, Mason unlocks the gun's magazine – causing it slip out. When Hachiman aims it back at him and pulls the trigger, no bullets fire.

The assassin almost wants to applaud his opponent's skill, but instead chooses to drop the gun and go hand-to-hand. Mason is fine with this, and promptly pulls a knife out from his suit's blazer.

He quickly jabs it towards Hikigaya face, but the attack is grabbed. With his right arm suspended in the air, Mason lets go of the knife, dropping it into his left hand. He then stabs it right into Hachiman's stomach, prompting a shocked expression to appear on the younger of the two's face.

As blood begins to drop from his wound, Hikigaya tries to think about what to do. Before he can, Mason raises the blade up to his throat for one final blow.

 _ **BANG**_

 _ **BANG**_

 _ **BANG**_

Mason abruptly drops to ground, as three shots ring out. From a few metres away, Rorona stands next to Touma, with his gun raised and smoking. Hachiman looks over at his partner, giving him a thankful look. Rorona then quickly runs over to him, checking to see how bad the wound is.

"Holy shit… Are you okay?! I thought you were gonna die!"

"Yeah, I did too..."

 _"Hachiman, Rorona. You two need to get out of there! Japanese PD are closing in on the harbour."_

The faint sound of sirens in the distance confirm this, prompting Rorona to take Hikigaya's arm and to help him walk. Blood continues to fall from the wound, making the assassin feel quite weak.

"Okay, let's get out of here…"

"You're not going anywhere. Hachiman Hikigaya and Rorona Kobayashi. You're both under arrest."

Behind them, Detective Touma stands with his handgun in one hand and his phone in the other. Behind him, Keith and Michael quietly begin crawling away – having no stakes in this fight.

* * *

 **Abandoned Basement – 21:03**

 _ **RING RING**_

 _ **RING RING**_

 _ **RING RING**_

 _"Hello?"_

"Hello, how are you?"

 _"I'm fine… Who is?"_

Yukinoshita leans back in her chair and crosses her right leg over her left. She holds her cell phone up to her ear with one hand, while using the other to click through information on her computer.

"Who I am is not of importance. Who you are however, is very important."

 _"Uhh… What?"_

"Your name is Julian Stravinsky and you own a Four Winns Horizon F9 speedboat. Currently it is docked at a marina close to the Port of Chiba. By taking a look at your address, if you were to head to your boat using your 2016 Toyota Coralla, then drive the boat to said port, it would only take about ten minutes max."

Julian stays quiet as he hears Yukino listing all this information about him.

"You're probably wondering how I know all this, but it's just like who I am – it doesn't matter. What I need you to do is take your boat to the port immediately and pick up two people; it's of upmost urgency."

 _"W-Why would I d-do that?"_

"Because if you don't, I'll tell your wife that you've been taking images of your stepdaughter sleeping, then uploading them to online chat groups, where you and your friends graphically ex-"

 _"Okay!"_ The man interrupts. _"I'll do whatever you want!"_

Yukinoshita smiles and leans forward. She then rests the phone in between her shoulder and neck, while using both hands to begin typing on her keyboard.

* * *

 **South West End, Chiba Harbour – 21:09**

Touma aims his sights directly at Hikigaya, still trying to get a good look at his face. The assassin says nothing, simply clutching his stab wound with one arm, while holding onto Rorona with the other.

 _"Guys, I've got a boat coming to pick you up on the way."_

Hachiman sighs.

"That's not going to be much help. The detective's got us at gunpoint."

There is a brief - but tense - silence, before Yukinoshita responds.

 _"Does he have any devices near him?"_

"Yeah… A phone."

 _"Good."_

A few moments later, Reo's phone begins to ring. He raises an eyebrow, then brings the device up to his ear without taking an eye off his suspects.

"So, do you have some dirt on this detective?" Rorona muses into the mic, as he watches.

 _"Not exactly."_

As the ringing stops, the phone suddenly explodes right next to Touma's face, knocking him over in surprise as the glass screen shatters.

 _"The battery was easy enough to overload."_

Rorona and Hikigaya take their moment, and quickly begin running away. The detective is not distracted long, almost immediately getting up and beginning to fire in their direction.

Both his shots miss, prompting him to chase after them. As he does so, squad cars bust into the harbour – surrounding him. With red and blue lights flashing everywhere, Touma begins to feel at a significant advantage.

"I want everyone to spread out!" Reo orders, as officers exit their vehicles. "There are very dangerous individuals everywhere. Find them! Also, there's a witness who's wounded! Get him medical attention."

As he speaks, Touma looks over at the spot where Mason was shot down. Instead of seeing a bloody body, there is simply an empty space – meaning it's likely Komanda's assassin snuck away during the chaos.

Not too far away, Hachiman and Rorona head down the harbour, as sirens and the sound of officers running around fill the air.

"Yukino, where exactly is this boat?" Hikigaya asks, as he struggles to keep awake.

 _"It's close, just keep going."_

Currently the two of them are running along the edge of the port, with the ocean just one step to their right. The water is moving quite fast, reflecting the moon and stars above it.

As they run, a few squad cars pull up several metres in front of them. It doesn't seem the officers have seen the two of them, but still block their path.

To the right, Rorona notices the boat getting closer. He also notices a squad car driving up from behind them. In just a few moments, they will be both discovered and surrounded.

"We're not gonna make it…" He says with wide eyes.

"Shut up Rorona." Hachiman responds, as sees the boat too. "It'll be fine."

"No, it's never been this close before."

"It'll be fine!"

Rorona closes his eyes, beginning to understand what to do.

"Can you swim with your wound?"

The assassin nods.

"Good. I'm sorry."

"Wha-"

Suddenly, Rorona pushes his partner to the side, knocking Hikigaya off the port and into the water. He then proceeds to pull out his handgun and fire several shots into the air, drawing all the officers towards him.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Hachiman yells out from the water.

"Just get to the boat!"

"No!"

"Do it!"

Helpless from down in the water, the assassin watches as police begin to circle Rorona with their guns raised – yelling out orders to him.  
As they surround him, he drops the gun.

"Yukino…" Rorona whispers into his earpiece. "Thank you for everything. I know you and Hachiman can do this."

She says nothing, knowing there is nothing she can do to help.

"Make sure to give Komanda a real beating for me."

With that, he pulls out his earpiece, drops to the floor, steps on it, then kneels down as an officer grabs his hands to be cuffed. Hikigaya listens to the exchange, as he swims backwards towards the boat, unnoticed.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Looks like Rorona's been caught, while Mason, Keith, and Michael remain at large. See you next time!


	48. Harboured Contempt - Part 3

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: After 8man, Rorona, Detective Touma and Mason collide at the Port of Chiba, Rorona is left captured by the police.

* * *

 **Saturday - Abandoned Basement – 07:09**

Hikigaya grabs an M16 out of a crate and slings it over his shoulder. On his right thigh is a holster with a handgun inside. Around his waist is a belt with several grenades attached.

Despite a fresh stab wound, he is already preparing for battle, evidenced by the body armour and gallery of weapons on his body.

"So what?! You think you can just storm a jail?! You will be killed!"

Yukinoshita stands at the entrance to the basement, yelling at him.

"I'm going to get Rorona back, no matter what."

"We need a plan!"

"I have a plan."

As he says this, he pulls down the slide of a handgun, before putting the weapon behind his back, inside another holster.

"Having a shootout with the Japanese police is not a plan!"

"Then what do you propose? We let him get interrogated? What if he divulges our location? Police could be coming here right now!"

Yukino shakes her head and scoffs.

"Typical; only thinking about yourself, once again."

"Rorona has a kid, that makes him easy to leverage. Look at what happened last time. He is my friend, but he's _also_ a liability. If I was really as self-interested as you say – then I'd have cut him off a long time ago."

"Well we can't just-"

Her words are suddenly interrupted when the basement door opens. Yukinoshita quickly turns around with wide eyes. As she does so, Yuigahama's head pops out.

"Yukinon? What are you doing here?"

There is a brief silence, as they all look at each other for a moment.

"Me? What are you doing here?"

Yui walks through the doorway and in between Yukino and Hachiman. In her hands is a picnic basket with two lunch boxes on top.

"She's been bringing Rorona and I lunches every couple of days. Her mother makes them."

"Why didn't you tell me about this?!" Yukinoshita asks, folding her arms.

"I didn't think you'd approve…" Yuigahama responds guiltily.

"Of course I wouldn't! Hachiman is dangerous."

He rolls his eyes at the statement, before walking up to Yui and gently taking one of the lunchboxes off the basket.

"Where is Rorona anyway?" She asks, casually.

There is another silence, as Hikigaya opens up the box and takes out the toast inside.

"Rorona's in jail." He answers, taking a bite of the toast.

"What?! Really?"

Yukinoshita walks up next to her friend, before speaking.

"It's true. He was arrested yesterday."

"Are you going to help Hikki get him back?"

"I have an idea, but your 'Hikki' is more interested in storming the jail."

"Her idea isn't feasible." Hachiman interjects, as he sits down on the edge of the bed. "Yukino wants me to sneak into the jail's command room and get her access to the cells."

Yuigahama frowns.

"That would be hard…"

"No it wouldn't… I could easily get through the building under normal circumstances – but the detective chasing me saw my face last night. Even if he didn't get a good look, I'll be recognized immediately just by my age. The best way is to take the building by force."

"All that would result in is your death or capture." Yukinoshita says angrily.

"So all Hikki needs to do is get into the building without being identified, right?"

Yukino nods.

"Hmm…"

A moment later, Yui smiles widely with a glow in her eyes. "I might have an idea!"

* * *

 **Tokyo Detention Centre – 15:21**

"So this is him…" Karen states, as she stands next to her partner.

"Yeah, this is the guy working with my assassin." Touma responds.

Currently, the two of them are standing in the viewing area of an interrogation room. In front of them is Rorona, sitting at a table in a green jumpsuit and handcuffs. His head is in his hands and it's clear he's sweating.

"What are you going to do with him?"

"Whatever it takes. This is the closest I've come to catching the assassin, I won't let this opportunity evade me."

"Do you think he'll give up Hachiman Hikigaya?"

The detective steps forward, not taking his eyes off Rorona.

"He better."

Karen nods, and walks towards the exit of the viewing room.

"Well, I'll leave you to it. Good luck, old man."

He smiles at her as she walks out, before heading towards the exit himself. Right before Reo reaches the door though, he hears the telephone in the room begin ringing.

Touma turns back around and grabs the phone off the receiver. He then raises it up to his ear and speaks.

"Hello?"

 _"I want Rorona Kobayashi back; you know who this is."_

"Hachiman Hikigaya."

The line goes silent for a moment, as the detective smiles and clutches the phone.

 _"Yes. We can make a deal."_

"A deal? I don't think you're in a position to bargain. There's nothing you have for me. On the other hand, I have your man. Soon, I'll have you."

 _"No detective, you won't have anything – not unless you listen carefully. I value Rorona as a friend. He doesn't need to go down for my crimes. If you meet me somewhere, I will turn myself over to you. That is if you let him go, all charges dropped."_

Touma raises an eyebrow, considering the assassin's words.

"How do I know this isn't another trick, like at the strip club?"

 _"It's not. You'll see me when you arrive. If I was lying, then you'd still have Rorona."_

"So you'll hand yourself over, just like that?"

 _"You misunderstand what we're doing, Detective. Rorona's a good guy, and the two of us have been making Japan be-"_

"Save it. I know all about your past. Whatever reason you have for taking down two crime bosses has to be malicious in some way. Regardless, you have a deal. Where do you want to meet?"

" _I'll be at the largest cinema in Chiba at ten PM tonight. See you there."_

"Count on it."

The call suddenly ends, prompting Touma to return the phone to its receiver. He then looks over at Rorona sitting in the interrogation and widens his smile.

'Finally…'

* * *

 **Cineplex Makuhari – 21:56**

Hikigaya leans against the wall of the outside of the cinema. Next to him is a large framed poster for the movie _Terminator: Dark Fate_.

He takes a deep breath, before tapping the earpiece in his ear and looking ahead.

"I must say Yui, I've done a lot of dangerous things in my life – but your plan takes the number one place for risk factor."

Yuigahama giggles through the microphone.

 _"I know it's scary, but it'll work! Even Yukinon agrees."_

Standing in in front of Hachiman, is about seven different people his height and build. They also all have similar hair and facial structure.

"How did you even find this many actors who look like me?"

 _"It wasn't too hard."_ Yukinoshita responds, also through the same mic. _"You are rather average, and a simple ad online brought them here quite easily."_

The two girls are currently sitting together in the basement by the computers. On one of the monitors is a live security camera of the outside of the cinema.

Just a few moments later, the sound of sirens begin drawing closer and closer. Hikigaya takes one more deep breath, as the street next to him becomes filled with SWAT and police squad cars.

Some civilians in the area nervously back away, as the police exit their vehicles and run out to front of the Cineplex building with their guns raised. Hachiman's gaze shifts to one officer in particular – Reo Touma. The detective quickly makes his way around the vehicles, as he looks for the person he came to meet.

The moment he sees the crowd of actors by the buildings entrance, he immediately recognizes all the men to look like the assassin he saw the night before.

"What the hell…?"

Touma angrily grabs one of the actors by the arm and leans in close.

"Who are you?! What are you doing here?!"

"Bro calm down! My agent hooked this gig up for me! I'm just here for the job…"

"What job?"

All the other Hachiman look-a-likes begin murmuring amongst themselves. By now, the real one has inserted himself into the crowd – making him pretty much invisible.

"Show me your I.D's!" Touma demands, as he stands in front of the actors.

They all comply, and raise their cards up above their heads. On Hikigaya's, the fake name 'Kaoru Taki' sits in bold letters. The I.D. was handcrafted earlier by Yukinoshita, and is indistinguishable from a real one.

The detective frowns as he looks over them, before unhappily turning around.

"Arrest them all!"

The officers around him don't hesitate, and quickly go to cuff the very confused actors.

* * *

 **Sunday - Tokyo Detention Centre – 08:09**

Hikigaya and his look-a-likes all stand in a line, each wearing a green jumpsuit with their hands cuffed.

Behind them is a white wall that has several long black lines running across it. At the end of each line is a number in centimetres. This so that their heights can be accurately measured. Of course, all of them are pretty much the same.

In front of them is a two-way mirror, allowing them to see their reflections. On the other side of the glass is Touma, standing next to the witness from the port. The witness has several plasters on his face, along with a cast covering his right arm.

"Haru, I need you to tell me which one of these boys grabbed you at the port on Saturday."

"Grabbed me?" Haru responds with a raised eyebrow. "He didn't grab me, he saved me from my attackers. Something the police promised to do when I said I'd testify."

Reo frowns, then sighs.

"I know what we said, but you don't see the whole picture. This person is dangerous; we have no idea what he would have done with you."

"You gave me your word I wouldn't be harmed, and yet here we are."

"Just please, help us catch this assassin. You will save countless lives."

"That's exactly what you said to get me to turn on Norio Nagayama."

"Just trust me…"

Haru looks over at Touma, then back to the different Hikigaya's in the line-up. He makes eye-contact with the real one, easily recognizing him.

There is a brief silence, before the witness nods and smiles.

"Sorry Detective Touma, none of these guys look like the person who saved me at the port."

Reo bangs his fist against the table next to him, then tuns his fingers through the hair – assuming Hachiman simply tricked him just like at the strip club.

"Send these guys back to their cells, then process them. Make sure to run all their I.D.s several times." He tells an officer, as he exits the viewing room.

* * *

 **Tokyo Detention Centre – 15:11**

Hikigaya lays down on his jail cell bed, staring up at the ceiling. As he does, so he tries to get some sleep, but to no avail.

After a few minutes, Hachiman begins to hear a buzzing sound. He sits up and looks around, raising an eyebrow curiously. The buzzing continues, and he follows the noise to behind the cell toilet. As he reaches behind bottom of the toilet, he finds a vibrating cell phone.

On the phones screen is the option to decline or answer a call. He promptly taps the green button, answering it.

"Hello?" The assassin greets, bringing the device up to his ear.

 _"It's Yukino. Time for you to get out of there."_

"Great."

 _"Are you ready?"_

"Pretty much."

 _"Good, because there is a guard who is about ten seconds from walking in front of your cell, make sure to steal his keys."_

"How exactly am I supposed to-"

Before Hikigaya can say anything, the call abruptly ends. A few seconds later, just like Yukinoshita said, a guard walks past the cell bars. As he does so, the guard's phone begins ringing. He removes it from his pocket and answers the call.

"Hello?"

 _"Hello sir! I'm excited to announce you and your family have just been randomly selected for an all expenses paid trip to Thailand."_

The guard's eyes widen, and a large grin appears on his face.

"Really?!"

 _"Really!"_

Unbeknownst to him, it is in fact Yukinoshita on the other end of the line.

While the guard is distracted, he turns his back towards Hikigaya – who sneakily reaches through the bars and begins pickpocketing the keys off his belt. After getting the keys, Hachiman backs away into his cell, watching as the guard excitedly walks off to go tell his friends.

Suddenly the assassin's phone begins ringing again.

"Hello?" He greets, answering the call.

"Did you get them?"

"Yes."

 _"That's good, because if you hadn't I might've just left you in here."_

Hikigaya smiles, as he takes the key and unlocks his cell door.

"I'm assuming there are cameras in the hallway?"

 _"That's right. Unfortunately, I don't have the means to disable them from here."_

"Then what do I do?"

 _"Take the back of the phone case off and press the button by the battery. I've rigged it to take out the security system temporarily. When it goes off, I'll have full access. With that I can just loop the footage."_

"Looping the footage... Isn't that a bit archaic?"

 _"I'd like to see you do better."_

There is a brief silence, as the assassin opens up the phone.

"When I press the button, will we still have contact?"

 _"No, but Rorona's cell is at the end of the hall to the right. Use the keys to get him out, then take the magnetically locked door to the emergency exit. I'll have that open for you."_

"Alright, thanks for the help."

With that, he taps the button. Behind the button is a circuit board connected to a small antenna. After pressing it, seemingly nothing happens.

Hikigaya questions if it worked on or not, but decides to put his faith in Yukinoshita. He steps out of the cell and into the hallway. The fact that no alarm immediately goes off is a good sign, and prompts him to head right.

After a short run down the hallway, Hachiman arrives at the final cell. As he peers inside, he finds Rorona sitting on the bed with his head in his hands.

"Hey…" The assassin greets, unlocking the cell door.

Rorona looks up at him, then widens his eyes.

"What the hell are you doing here?!"

"Getting you out."

"How?!"

Hikigaya pushes open the now unlocked door, then motions for his partner to follow.

"Let's just go, before anyone finds me."

Not wanting to mess anything up, Rorona nods and exits out his cell. He and Hachiman then proceed to walk towards a thick metal door with the words emergency on it.

In case of fire or an attack on the jail, this door is supposed to open – allowing civilians to easily escape.

 _ **CLINK**_

A small noise comes from the side, indicating the magnetic lock has shut down.

Rorona reaches out and pulls on the door towards him. The two of them smile for a moment, before heading through to freedom.

* * *

 **Abandoned Basement – 21:31**

"Jesus… I can't believe you took that risk…" Rorona says, as he slips his arm through a white dress shirt.

On the bed is his green jumpsuit, that he is finally getting the opportunity to change out of.

"We had to." Hikigaya responds, as he leans against the new desk.

"Regardless, there is still a risk to worry about." Yukinoshita remarks, standing up from her chair. "As of now Rorona is wanted by the police – meaning he won't be able to go out in public, at least not without drawing a bit of attention."

"How am I going to explain this to my ex…"

"I'm sure she'll understand!" Yuigahama says, as she spins around on her wheeled chair.

They all share a brief silence, before Hachiman walks up to the whiteboard and pulls off the third lieutenants photograph.

"The witness will testify against Norio and have him put away. I trust Touma to make that happen, even if he doesn't trust us. That leaves two lieutenants left, as well as Komanda himself."

Yui grins.

"I don't know as much about these lieutenants as you guys do, but I do know we make a great team."

Yukino raises an eyebrow, then turns to her friend.

"Team?"

"Yeah! We're like the Avengers… Or maybe more like Star Wars. Hikki is Luke Skywalker, Yukinon is Commander Leia, and Rorona is Han Solo."

"Who does that make you?"

"I'm Chewbacca!" Yuigahama responds excitedly. "Anyway, I still have a bunch of food in my picnic basket; do you guys want some toast?"

Everyone begins nodding, prompting her to go grab her basket from off of one of the crates and bring it over to the desks. Yui then proceeds to hand a sandwich to Hachiman, Yukino, and Rorona.

On the other side of Chiba, in a wealthy-girl's apartment, Shizuka Hiratsuka lays in bed sleepless, staring up at the ceiling.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Hiratsuka will be returning next chapter! Stay tuned.


	49. Cops and Robbers - Part 1

**Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Oregairu or any brands mentioned.

Previously on Match Point: 8man, Yukino, Rorona and Yui officially become a team, working to take down Komanda and his underlings, freeing both Shizuka and Japan from his crime.

* * *

 **Saturday - Yukinoshita's Apartment – 08:09**

 _"Here we have a man claiming to be the reincarnation of Jesus, explaining how he has the ability to fly."_

Hiratsuka sits on the couch, barefoot with her feet on the coffee table, watching the news. In her one hand is a Coca-Cola, while in the other is an energy bar.

On the floor beside the couch are several marked up book reports that she just finished.

 _"As you can see in the footage, the man does in fact not fly – but instead slides across a bowling alley, after having poured olive oil over the wood. Thankfully, he was promptly escorted out."_

The news reporter wears a red blazer and has long curly black hair. Her lips are glossy and eyelashes long, complimenting her spotless face.

 _"In other news, Norio Nagayama has recently been found guilty of trafficking various items and people through the Port of Chiba. It was originally reported that the well-known Detective Reo Touma was the one who busted him, but recently the key witness in the case has come forward and countered these claims."_

The footage switches from the woman over to a man in a cast, speaking into a microphone.

 _"It was not in fact the Japanese Police who rescued me; it was a stranger – someone I've never met – who risked their own life to save mine. I cannot in good conscience let police force take credit for the arrest of Norio Nagayama, when their involvement consisted of trying to catch my rescuer and very little else."_

A moment later, the footage goes back to the women, this time with a sketched image superimposed next to her.

As the image pops up, Shizuka raises her eyebrows and leans forward – instantly recognizing the drawing as Hachiman.

 _"According to several officer's accounts, this is the likeness of the unknown individual who intervened at the port. He is also rumoured to be working with Rorona Kobayashi, a man who recently escaped from jail. Who is this individual and what are his true motives? You'll find the answers on channel 17, first."_

Hiratsuka takes the television remote and hits the off the button, as she hears a door open from behind her.

"Good morning." Yukinoshita greets, as she walks out her room.

"Hey…"

The teacher's response isn't too enthusiastic, and Shizuka promptly slouches down into the couch.

"Is Haruno back from her trip yet?"

Yukino glances over at the bare feet on the coffee table for a moment, before responding.

"No, but she contacted me recently. It seems the Aztec temples held little fruit."

"Well, tell me when she's back."

"I will."

A moment later, Hiratsuka turns around and leans over the back of the couch.

"Are you going out again?"

"Yes, I'm meeting someone."

"Just like last week and the week before?"

"That's right…"

"Who exactly are you meeting?" Shizuka asks suspiciously.

"Hachiman."

The response is quite blunt, throwing the older of the two off.

"H-Hachiman? Why?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"I guess not…"

"Good."

With that, Yukinoshita heads towards her bathroom to shower. Hiratsuka watches her off, before turning back and staring over at the TV.

* * *

 **Five Years Earlier**

"Tell me Rorona, do you understand why you're here?"

In a small room, Rorona sits in a large comfy chair with both his arms rested on the arm rests. The expression on his face is a mixture of annoyance and sadness, as he stares to the side.

"Yeah… I understand…"

Opposite from him, a man with glasses and light grey hair sits behind a desk. On the desk is a piece of paper, and the man is holding a pen.

"Do you also understand that a psyche evaluation is simply routine, and you shouldn't feel like you've done anything wrong to be sitting here."

Rorona looks over at the man, nods, then looks back to the side.

"Good, good. You recently came back from active combat; will you tell me how life has been since then?"

"It's been fine, I suppose."

"Have you had trouble adjusting at all?"

"Adjusting?"

"Like, has everything felt normal?"

"If you want to ask if I'm about to go nuts and shoot up a hospital, I'll save you the trouble – I'm fine."

"You see Rorona, phrases like that don't make you _seem_ fine. Plenty of people have come back from warzones, with their heads still in said warzones."

Rorona takes deep breath, tapping his fingers against the side of the chair.

"Like I said, I'm fine…"

"And you don't feel like you could use any help at all?"

The question gets a laugh, and Rorona grins at the psychiatrist.

"I'm not the one who needs help..."

"Would you elaborate on that?"

"What's there to say? I'm sitting here in a comfy chair, while my friends – the ones who are still alive – are still over there."

"According to your file you were a medic, one of the bravest, but you had to be discharged due to not following orders. Do you feel that it was unfair, and you should've been allowed to continue your work?"

"Yeah, it's definitely unfair, but not for me. It's unfair for the people who'll go and die for nothing – while I'm here, helpless to save them."

"Is that how you feel, helpless?"

"Yeah…" Rorona responds, taking a deep breath. "I feel… Helpless…"

* * *

 **Present Day – Abandoned Basement – 11:12**

"Okay, look at me." Yukinoshita orders, getting everyone's attention.

Currently she is standing next to a large monitor that's been set up in place of the whiteboard. It's high resolution and touch screen functionality make it perfect to present with.

Hikigaya, Yuigahama, and Rorona all sit on chairs a few metres away, staring up at the monitor.

"As you all know, the three lieutenants Miyuki Ishikawa, Hiroshi Maeue, and Norio Nagayama have all been arrested. These three lieutenants formed the base of the Five-Stars operation, however – as important as they were – they are replaceable. The next tier of Komanda's lieutenants are not replaceable, so it's crucial we hit them while they're hurt."

Yukino taps a file on the screen, prompting two images of question marks to pop up.

"The two final lieutenants operate in secret, their names aren't even available. Due to this, taking them down would normally be impossible."

"Luckily we have you!" Yuigahama interjects with a big smile, pointing towards her friend.

"That's right, because with my skills I was able to find some information on them."

"What do you have?" Hikigaya asks, leaning back in his chair.

"The first of the two lieutenants is a male, living in a penthouse apartment in Tokyo. The second is female and resides in a suburban area just outside of Chiba.

I found this out by tracking anyone whose cell phone frequently pinged near the Port of Chiba, Hiroshi's fight club, or Miyuki's strip joint. It took a long time but eventually I got several people who were at all these places multiple times in the last few years.

What I did then was take a look at all these people's bank statements. The two who pulled in the most money from the most questionable sources were Aimi Tsubaki and Aoi Koyomi.

Neither of these people have any digital footprint what-so-ever, and their involvement with Komanda is a mystery."

Rorona raises his hand, indicating he has a question.

"If we know where they live, why don't we just drop by their homes and find some evidence?"

Yukinoshita looks at him like he's a moron, before shaking her head and turning back to the monitor.

"We can't do that, Rorona – Because these two people are extremely careful. The chances of there being any evidence at all at their homes is unlikely."

"So what can we do?"

"I ran both of their faces through a custom facial recognition program I built. Each of them matched to two individuals, meaning both Aimi and Aoi have a separate fake identity.

Their fake identities are legally married, and the two of them have a joined bank account at the Bank of Japan with a safety deposit box. Whatever's in that safety deposit box could give us more information about them."

Hachiman stands up, then begins slowly pacing back and forth.

"This safety deposit box would be heavily guarded; I couldn't just sneak in and get it…"

"No, you couldn't… You know what that means don't you?"

He looks over at Yukino and smirks. Rorona raises an eyebrow, confused.

"I don't know what that means… What does it mean?"

"It means we're going to have to rob the bank." Hikigaya responds, looking over at his partner.

"Holy shit…"

Suddenly, the door behind them opens and someone walks in. Everyone turns around, looking over their shoulders. In the doorway, Hiratsuka stands with a handbag over her shoulder and a smile on her face.

"I'm here to see Hachiman…" She declares, making eye contact with the assassin.

* * *

 **Two Years Earlier**

"Yukino, you are aware you why your mother wanted me to speak to you, right?"

In a small room, the wealthy-girl lays down on a couch. Her head rests on a pillow, and next to her sits a therapist holding a notepad. The window beside them allows some moonlight to shine through the thin curtains, slightly illuminating the otherwise dark room.

"Yes… B-Because I'm supposedly having trouble coping with my Uncle's murder."

"You say supposedly, do you not believe this to be the case?"

Yukinoshita stares up at the ceiling with a blank expression on her face.

"I am handling it fine."

"Your mother says otherwise."

"My mother is a liar."

"Why do you think that?"

"None of your business."

The therapist leans back and sighs, marking something down in her notepad.

"This is a safe place Yukino, I'm a friend. You can speak freely."

"I have nothing to say."

"The loss of a family member is always troubling, especially when they're a close one."

"My uncle was not lost, he was taken – and the people responsible will pay for it."

"That's not a healthy way to see it. Forgiveness and moving on are important."

"I'll move on when justice has been served."

"Sometimes justice doesn't get served Yukino; you can't spend your whole life waiting for something that might never come to fruition."

"If your idea of therapy is discouragement, I must say your failing quite hard right now."

Yukinoshita then sits up and looks over at the older lady.

"This is a safe place, right?"

"Correct…"

"In that case, I want you to know that when I found the people responsible for my uncle's murder - there will be no waiting, there will be no court case or trial. It will be them, sitting the grave they dug for themselves the night they executed my Uncle. After I see their corpses, perhaps I will move on."

"I…"

"That's all I have to say."

The room goes silent, as the doctor slowly looks away from the young girl.

* * *

 **Abandoned Basement – 11:50**

"So… What are you doing here?" Hikigaya asks, as he sits on the computer table.

Hiratsuka sits opposite him, on the bed.

"Well, it's like I said – I came to speak to you."

Currently Yuigahama, Yukinoshita, and Rorona are out, having left the two of them alone while going get some lunch.

"And what is it that you want to speak about?"

His response draws a sad smile from the teacher, prompting her to look down at the floor.

"So, no 'How are you?' or 'How have you been?' then…"

There is a brief silence, as Hachiman frowns.

"How are you?"

"Not great actually."

The assassin raises an eyebrow.

"Did something happen?"

"Yep…"

"What?"

"You lied to me for months… Then took off…"

"This again…" He mutters to himself, turning around.

"Yes Hachiman, _this_ again."

"What do you want from me, Hiratsuka?"

She looks up at him, then frowns.

"Well, for a long time I thought I wanted to never see you again, then I thought I wanted an apology, and now… Now I think I've gone mad."

"Why is that?"

He continues standing with his back to her.

"I saw you on the news. There a few articles about you online as well. A lot of people have come out and said you saved their lives."

"What people?"

"Some Chinese women, some teenagers from bad neighbourhoods, this other guy who said you rescued him, etcetera."

"It wasn't on purpose." Hikigaya states bluntly, turning back around. "They just got lucky, having been harmed by the people I was after."

"Yeah, and that's the issue."

"Why is that an issue?"

"Because look at who you are! You've done some crazy things in the last year or so; all just to help me – a person who hates you… Or, I suppose, hated you."

"What about it?"

"You shouldn't be doing this for me! When I became a teacher, all I wanted was to do some kind of good in my life, no matter how small – and here you are, doing massive amounts of good, and your reasons are completely broken."

"Hiratsuka, why are you here?"

"Because I think between the two of us, you need help more than me; and I'm here to help you."

"Help me?"

"That's right, you need someone like me to show you the way."

Hachiman chuckles and shakes his head.

"I definitely don't need that…"

Shizuka smiles and stands up.

"Yes you do, and that's why from today – I'm on the team!"

There is a long silence, as the he slowly realizes what Hiratsuka just said.

"Wait… N-No…"

"It's non-negotiable Hachiman."

"I don't think you understand what you're saying…"

"If Yui can be apart of the team, so can I!"

"Yui sits with Yukino and looks at screens all day…"

Hiratsuka walks up next to her former student and puts her arm around his shoulder.

"We can discuss the details later…"

"But-"

"Anyway, when I came in here, I saw you all discussing something; what was it?"

"Umm… The next step to taking down Komanda…"

"Great! So tell me, what good are the five of us going to do next?"

Hikigaya turns and looks her in the eye.

"We're going to rob a bank."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Looks like Shizuka and 8man have finally made up! And now she's trying to join the team. Crazy times!


End file.
